BULLETIN 

OF THE 

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS 



JUNE 5 



1915: No. 32 



1915 



PLAY AND ATHLETICS 

Care of the Body, Playground Games and Equipment, 
Athletic Contests, Organization of Meets, Leagues, etc. 



Issued by the 

Public Discussion Division 

'of the 

Department of Extension 




Published by the University six times a month and entered as 
second-class mail matter at the postoflSce at 

AUSTIN, TEXAS 



^n«9frKpli 




^1 



DEPARTMENT OF EXTENSION. 

The Department of Extension of the University of Texas was es- 
tablished for the purpose of rendering service to the people of the 
State generally, and especially to those who are unable to attend the 
University. The work of this department is carried on under the 
following five divisions: 

Public Discussion Division. 

This division has immediate cbarge of "The University Inter- 
scholast:c League." This is an organization of the schools of Texas 
for the purpose of promoting contests in debate, declamation, spell- 
ing, essay-writing, and athletics. The University is desirous of aid- 
ing the schools in the matter of training their students for citizen- 
ship; and also to aid teachers in developing, controlling, and stand- 
ardizing athletic activities in the schools. Every school in Texas, 
no matter how small, should become a member of this organization. 

This division is also engaged in the preparation of reference lists 
and material on various subjects of general interest, and the col- 
lection of "package" libraries for loaning to citizens of Texas upon 
application. Books and pamphlets thus loaned may De Kept not 
longer than two weeks. The person to whom material is loaned 
pays the postage both ways. University bulletins need not 
be returned unless specially requested. Loan libraries are 
now ready on the following subjects: Agriculture; Airships; 
Alcohol; Arbitration; Athletics; Banks and Banking; Birds; 
Boy Problem; Boy Scouts: Canning Clubs; Capital Punish- 
ment; Child Labor; Child Study; Child Welfare; Christmas; 
Cigarette Habit; Civil Service; Co-education; Commission Govern- 
ment; Compulsory Education; Conservation of Resourcofe- Contagion 
and Contagious Diseases; Convict Labor; Co-operative Marketing; 
Corn; Cost of Living; Cotton; Crime and Criminals; Disarmament; 
Domestic Science; Drama; European War; Flies; Games; Germany; 
Government Ownership of Public Utilities; Hogs; Hours of Labor; 
Immigration; Income Tax; Indians; Industrial Education; Initiative 
and Referendum; Irrigation; Journalism; Juvenile Courts; Kinder- 
garten; Labor Unions; Land Tenantry; Manual Training; Merchant 
Marine; Mexico; Military Education; Milk; Minimum Wage; Mo- 
nopolies; Monroe Doctrine; Montessori Teaching; Mothers Clubs; 
Moving Pictures; Municipal Improvement; Municipal Ownership; 
Nature Study; Negro; Nutrition; Old Age Pensions; Open and 
Closed Shop; Panama Canal; Panama-Pacific Exposition; Parcel 
Post; Peace; Pecan Culture; Philippines; Playgrounds; Poultry; 
Presidential Term; Prison Reform; Prohibition; Public Health; 
Railroads; Recall; Recitations and Readings; Red Cross; Religious 
Education; Roads; Rural Credit; Rural Life; Rural Schools; Rus- 
sia; Sanitation; School Gardens; Schoolhouses; School Hygiene; 
School Libraries; School Lunches; Sewage; Short Story; Single 
Tax; Social Center; Socialism; South America; Story Telling; Sub- 
marine Warfare; Sufilrage-Educational Qualification; Tariff; United 
States Army; United States Navy; Woman Labor; Woman Suffrage; 
Women's Clubs. 

Clippings and miscellaneous material have also been collected on 
various other subjects. Correspondence is Invited. Address Loan 
Librarian, University, Austin. 

Public Lecture Division. 

Provision has been made to allow members of the s :afi of instruc- 
( Continued on inside back cover) 



i 



B124-815-5ni-827g 



BULLETIN 

OF THE 

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS 



1915: No. 32 



JUNE 5 



1915 



PLAY AND ATHLETICS 

Care of the Body, Playground Games and Equipment, 
Athletic Contests, Organization of Meets, Leagues, etc. 



Issued by the 

Public Discussion Division 

of the 

Department of Extension 

l» . . . J < 



.oJjUrri. c6LVt^">~>'u 



L^X^Z 




Published by the University six times a month and entered as 
second-class mail matter at the postoffice at 

AUSTIN, TEXAS 






The benefits of education and of 
useful knowledge, generally diffused 
through a community, are essential 
to the preservation of a free gov- 
ernment. 

Sam Houston. 



Cultivated mind is the guardian 
genius of democracy. . . . It is the 
only dictator that freemen acknowl- 
edge and the only security that free- 
men desire. 

Mirabeau B. Lamar. 



B. of D. 
JUL 1 19t8 






CONTENTS. 

PAGE. 

Preface 5 

Introduction, by A. J. Robinson 7 

Physical Education 7 

Need of Organized Play 7 

Value of Athletics 8 

How Can Teachers Help ? .* 11 

A Word to the High School Athlete 12 

The First Essential of an Athlete 15 

Care of the Body 15 

Food and Drink 15 

Cigarettes 16 

Exercise 16 

Eest 17 

Bathing 17 

Clothing 18 

Track and Field Athletics — 

Races 19 

Sprinting 19 

Relay Races 22 

Hurdle Races 23 

Three-Legged Race 25 

Potato Race 26 

Jumping and Vaulting 26 

Running High Jump 26 

Standing High Jump 26 

Running Broad Jump 27 

Standing Broad Jump 27 

Hop-Step-Jump 27 

Pole Vault 28 

Weights 29 

Putting the Shot 29 

Throwing the Hammer 29 

The Discus 30 

Basketball Throw 30 

The Training of Young Athletes, by F. L. (Tex.) Ramsdell. . 31 



4 Contents 

PAGE. 

Miscellaneous Games 38 

Single Relay 39 

Shuttle Relay 40 

Potato Shuttle Relay 40 

All-Up Relay ' 40 

Pass-Ball Relay 41 

Tug-of-War 41 

Volley Ball 41 

End Ball 43 

Boundary Ball 44 

Corner Ball 44 

Pass and Goal Ball 45 

Captain Ball 45 

Three Deep 46 

Tennis 46 

Class Average Contests 49 

Class Athletics for Highest Average Standing 50 

Eligibility 50 

Championship?. 51 

Bo3^s' Division 51 

Girls ' Division 52 

Rules Governing the Events 53 

How to Proceed 53 

The Athletic Badge Test 56 

Athletics for Girls 59 

Conduct of an Athletic Meet 61 

A County Meet 61 

Laying Off An Athletic Field 63 

Equipment for Athletic Meets 65 

A Few Definitions 66 

Playground Equipment, by C. C. Foster 68 

Apparatus Made of Wood, by C. A. Jameson '. 85 

Appendix 87 

Model Entry Blank 87 

Agreement for Athletic Games 89 

Supply House for Playground Apparatus 90 

Dealers and Makers of Athletic Medals '. . . . 90 

Reference "Works 91 



PREFACE 

The purpose of this bulletin is to assist members of the Uni- 
versity Interscholastic League in organizing and conducting 
contests, in training athletes, and to help in matters of physical 
education and playground activities generally. The Constitu- 
tion of the League provides for county and district contests, 
and a final meet in athletics, debating, declamation, spelling^ 
and essay-writing at the University of Texas. The detailed 
rules governing athletic contests are given in the bulletin con- 
taining the Athletic Rules of the League, hence they are not 
repeated here. 

The annual membership fee for each school in the League is 
$1.00. This fee should be sent to E. D. Shurter, Chairman, 
University Station, Austin, Texas. Payment of the fee entitles 
a schooj to enter both the public speaking and the athletic con- 
tests, and to receive loan libraries and the special bulletins pre- 
pared for the assistance of schools in training for the contests. 

Besides this Bulletin, each member of the League will receive, 
free on request, four copies of the bulletin on the subject for 
debate in the League, and also one or more copies of the bulletin 
on Literary Societies, Debating, etc. A copy of the bulletin 
containing the Constitution of the League will be sent on re- 
quest to any person in the State. 




HOMER WAITS. 
Marshall Training School, champion all-round athlete, 
academy division, 1914 and 1915; also a star 
football player. In the state meet in 
1915, Waits threw the ham- 
mer 157 ft. 6 in. 



INTRODUCTION 

BY A. J. ROBINSON, 
Principal of the Marshall High School 

Physical Education. — ^You are doubtless acquainted with the 
present-day crusade in behalf of physical education. It is not 
a fad, but a serious-minded effort on the part of educators and 
leaders the country over to stave off what ex-President Chas. W. 
Eliot of Harvard University says is the gravest danger which 
threatens us as a nation — the dissipation of our physical ener- 
gies. Educators are agreed that the nation of the future will 
be the one which takes the most intelligent care of the body. 
The more comxplex our civilization becomes, the greater the ner- 
vous strain under which people have to live; hence the more 
urgent it is that we do something to make the nervous organism 
more capable of enduring the strain. Physicians are stressing- 
the point that the best way to check tuberculosis, typhoid, and'. 
similar diseases, is to build up the lungs, heart, and general 
vitality while young. Any scheme of education, therefore, or 
any school, which neglects the bodies of its pupils, fails in the 
most important matter of all. The aim of education, nowadays, 
is to make men and women efficient; to make them capable of 
doing useful work well and to take pleasure in so doing. They 
will find this impossible, in the long run, however well trained 
they may be in other respects, unless they are efficient physical- 

ly. 

Physical education ' has many phases, but most of them are 
subserved by intelligent use of play and athletics. In fact, 
these are the two chief directions which the growing movement 
for more careful physical training has taken. 

The Need of Organized Flay — One of the most marked fea- 
tures of recent educational progress has been the renewed em- 
phasis placed upon the importance of directed play. Not alone 
from the standpoint of physical training, but from the stand- 
point of mental and especially of moral and social qualities, is 
play now recognized as not only necessary but essential. Social 
workers, teachers, judges of juvenile courts, in fact every one 
who deals intelligently with growing youth, must give atten- 
tion to the play-loving instinct. They must provide oppor- 
tunity for its exercise and see that suitable environment" and 
direction be given so that the desirable tendencies are encour- 



8 Bulletin of the University of Texas 

aged and the undesirable are clieeked. Furthermore, it is a 
^Teat mistake to suppose that children in the country, who get 
physical exercise from work on the farm, do not need to play. 
They need not only to play more than they do, but to play better. 
They need, more than do city children, the socializing influence 
and the sense of team work that properly directed play will give 
them. They need pla}^ in order to counteract the feeling of iso- 
lation of the country, and the consequent distaste for country 
life. 

The Value of Athletics — Athletics are to adolescent boys and 
girls what play is to smaller children. The essential feature of 
athletics is the element of contest. In the athletic contests of 
youth are developed the powers necessary for the harder con- 
tests of later life. To deny virile youth the opportunity of ath- 
letics is to make that youth less virile and force it to find other 
and less desirable means of satisfying the athletic impulse. To 
permit athletics to take care of themselves, as many teachers 
do, is to miss the greatest possible opportunity for instilling the 
Tight social ideas and for building character. 

City superintendents, principals, and school boards have been 
slow to recognize the immense importance of taking hold of the 
athletic problem of the high school, except in the most haphazard 
fashion. Possibly even worse conditions have obtained in the 
village and rural schools. In the present day, however, live 
teachers are no longer ignoring athletics as being without educa- 
tional value, nor are they indifferent to the many evils resulting 
from loose control. But since some few teachers and many 
patrons and trustees fail yet to realize that anything but harm 
can come from high school athletics, the following article, 
by Superintendent J. F. Kimball of the Dallas City Schools, 
published some j^-ears ago in the handbook of the State Inter- 
scholastic League, is reprinted here, with Mr. Kimball's per- 
mission. Particular attention is called to the emphasis placed 
upon the importance of strict control of athletics in the high 
school by responsible authorities: 

''Nearly twenty years ago, the writer raised his voice in a 
state gathering of teachers to urge the encouragement of high 
school athletics in Texas as an integral part of high school work. 
At that time his youth and its interests lay so close behind him 
that he spoke from the viewpoint of the student rather than of 



Play and Athletics 9 

the pedagogue. The years that have passed since that time, 
bringing a rather wide observation and study of school condi- 
tions and practices throughout the nation, have tended to in- 
crease rather than diminish his appreciation of the value of high 
school athletics as a factor during adolescence for the develop- 
ment of the best and sturdiest qualities that go to make manly 
men. During these years he has seen scores of high school boys 
learn on the athletic field the indispensable life-lessons of self- 
mastery and self-restraint, of subordination of impulse to pur- 
pose, of tact and poise essential to leadership, of that infinite 
attention to detailed knowledge of the game and of the traits of 
the various members of the team requisite to team-discipline and 
esprit de corps, of the acceptance of leadership as a responsi- 
bility rather than a personal honor. A widow urged to insist 
on her boy playing football said she feared he might break his 
arm; 'Madam,' was the rejoinder, 'it is better for your boy to 
break his neck in sturdy manly play than to becom_e the soft- 
fibred spineless creature that wealth and petting will soon make 
of him, unless sturdier motives are brought into his life-pur- 
poses.' For high school teachers, ability to direct boys wisely 
and efficiently on the athletic field stands next in value to 
teaching power and scholarship. In many cases this ability to 
make himself worth while to the students in an athletic way 
more than doubles his teaching opportunities, if not his teaching 
power. But the value and popularity of athletics for hig^h 
schools is too well recognized in Texas today to need any voice 
raised in a plea therefor. 

"Two grave dangers threaten the best interests of high school 
athletics in Texas today. The first is one that has seriously 
harmed athletics in American colleges and universities, namely, 
that active part in actual athletics is shared by comparatively 
few of the boys of the schools, that the interest taken by the rest 
of the student-body is only that of interested but non-participat- 
ing onlookers. This, more than any other influence, has hurt 
and mis-shaped college athletics, and its harm will be more dead- 
ly in the high school. In the schools of ancient Greece every 
youth took part in the athletic games, not that he might win, but 
because the state was concerned that each citizen should be 
sturdy and virile; in nervous America the need of a sturdy 
physique for each youth is many fold greater. High school 



10 Bulletin of the University of Texas 

athletics shall be justified and prosper according to the measure 
in which the many rather than the few find part and .develop- 
ment therein. 

''The second danger is that through inertia or lack of con- 
structive vision among the teachers the athletic interests of the 
high schools shall lack proper ideals, guidance and management. 
In some schools the coaching and the business management of 
athletic affairs is turned over to chance comers from the out- 
side, or to the unguided efforts of enthusiastic students who 
have no inkling of the educative possibilities involved. Per- 
sonally I would feel that our high school was losing less of its 
opportunities for valuable service to its youth if we were to turn 
over the department of mathematics or science to the uncoun- 
selled devices of the students and their chance friends than if 
we were to neglect any phase of the administration of its ath- 
letic affairs. The best business manager that a high school team 
can have is the principal of the high school ; possibly some other 
member of the faculty might be delegated because of special 
fitness, but control of the athletic activities is one of the essen- 
tial functions of the principal's administrative duties to his 
high school. In all cases the coaches should be men on the high 
school faculty, chosen for the faculty because of their scholar- 
ship and their ability to train for red-blooded manhood of brain 
and muscle. This was recognized last year by Boston and put 
in force, though tardily enough, by special resolution of the 
School Committee of that city. The assignment of faculty mem- 
bers to the various student activities outside the classroom, such 
as debating, chorus work, basketball, football, baseball, track 
team, etc., should be as definite a part of the school regime as 
are the assignments to classroom work in algebra, Latin or 
chemistry. The part of the teacher is not to dictate but to in- 
spire and encourage, not to do the work but to counsel and form 
high ideals of athletic chivalry and courtesy, to teach not only 
how to play the game, but also how to play the man, even in the 
face of defeat or foul play, to give concrete, vital, work-a-day 
example to the sentiment expressed by a spirited picture that 
hangs in the boys' dressing-room of the Temple High School; a 
football team trotting onto the gridiron in their harness, eyes 
steady, faces tense, courage high, hundreds of spectators in the 
background ; underneath in bold letters this legend : 



Flay and Athletics 11 

'Go, lose or conquer as you can — 
Be each, pray God, the gentleman.' " 

now Can Teachers Help? — How can teachers help in develop- 
ing play and athletics along right lines? Many of those who 
have little or no opportunity for special training in the subject 
will no doubt feel more or less helpless Avhen it comes to organiz- 
ing a movement for bettering conditions in their respective 
schools. Supposing that you are one of these teachers, let us 
see what you can do. 

1. In the first place, you can give just a little attention to 
the study of the subject; you can read one or two good books, 
such as Sargent's Physical Education, so that you will have an 
adequate idea of the various problems involved. You can famil- 
iarize yourself with the practical pointers and suggestions as to 
training, management of various contests, etc., to be found in 
this bulletin or in similar pamphlets. 

2. You can learn a few simple games suitable for different 
classes of pupils, such as YoUey Ball, End Ball, Group Relay 
Racing, Three Deep, Potato Race, etc., and seek to enlist every 
pupil in school in some form of outdoor athletics. In this way 
it will be seen that athletics are for all, and not merely for the 
chosen athletes, and there will be less objection to school ath- 
letics on the part of parents. 

3. You can find some individual in the community who has 
had experience in athletics and who will be glad to co-operate 
with you in furthering legitimate athletic interest. You can, 
through the press, through personal talks, and indirectly through 
the pupils, obtain the co-operation of the parents. The latter 
will be glad to help when they see that you are using athletics 
as a means, and not as an end in themselves, 

4. You can .help by insisting upon gentlemanly conduct on 
the part of players, and urging the player to take a proper 
view of honor in athletics. You can get in touch with other 
teachers, and co-operate with them in promoting friendly rela- 
tions between contesting teams. You can thus do much to teach 
your pupils to take defeat manfully, to play the game fairly, and 
to treat officials with proper respect. There seems to be a gen- 
eral looseness among the schools, in this particular, and it is a 
point which needs very great attention. If our athletic contests 



12 Bulletin of the University of Texas 

promote hostility rather than friendliness between the contasling 
teams, it is perhaps better not to have them. There is no good 
reason, however, why this should be. With nnited effort 
on the part of teachers, where the spirit of true sportsmanship 
prevails among them, it will not be the case. But it is impossible 
to cultivate true sportsmanship among the pupils, if teachers 
themselves do not possess it. Every effort should be made to 
treat visiting teams as real guests, and to make the conditions 
of the contests just as favorable for them as for the home team. 
On the other hand, a visiting team should be encouraged to 
accept what they get without complaint, and not to be too ready 
to suspect officials or others of unfairness. It is only by co-op- 
eration among teachers and other officials along these lines that 
many of the worst evils now attending interscholastic contests 
will ever be destroyed. 

5. You can see to it that your school becomes affiliated with 
the University Interscholastic League, an organization that stands 
for clean athletics and better playground conditions for all the 
schools of Texas. 

See that the eligibility rules of this league are enforced in 
your own school. Do not be too quick to suspect some other 
school of looseness in this respect. The most pressing need for 
high school athletics at present is a strict enforcement of the 
eligibility rules. And the place to begin is at home, and not on 
our neighbor's team. Let your school run the athletics, and do 
not let athletics run your school. 

A Word to the High School Athlete. — ^You are, let us say, 
trying to make the football, basket-ball, or some other athletic 
team that will represent your school in coming contests. You 
have never made the team before, but you have hopes of that 
honor this year. Or, it may be, you are one of the old guard, 
and you are expected to be one of the mainstays of your team 
this season. In either case, there are just three things that you 
need to bear in mind in order to make your athletic career a 
success. Without these three things, it will be a failure, no 
matter how many champion teams you happen to belong to. 
First, consistent effort and determination, coupled with a careful 
study of the points of the game as given you by the coach and 
the printed rules; second, careful and regular habits of exercise, 
eating, sleeping, and the observance of the other well-known 



Play and Athletics J 3 

laws of health, so that you will always be physically fit and will 
not permanently impair yonr health by sudden and violent ex- 
ertion of the strenuous games because you are not prepared for 
them; third, true sportsmanship. Without the first essential 
mentioned, you will, should you make the team, frequently mar 
your play at critical stages simply because you did not take the 
trouble to heed the advice of your coach or because you had not 
acquired the habit of putting the very best effort into every- 
thing you undertook. Without the second essential, which in- 
cludes clean living in every respect, you will some day enter a 
game only to find that you have dissipated your energies one 
time too often, and the necessary push required to lead you to 
victory is consequently lacking. You will some day meet an 
opponent who has trained more carefully, lived more closely by 
the simple laws of healtji than you have, and who will therefore 
possess just a fraction more of strength or skill or nerve than 
you can muster, and the coveted honor will go from you. Or, 
what is much more important, you will find, after the excite- 
ment of your athletic career is over, that you have weakened 
your physical powers in spite of all your athletics, and that you 
are unable to stand the physical strain of the bigger contest of 
life. It is more important for you to build up a sound body 
than to win athletic contests, and from the standpoint of phys- 
ical training the practice of keeping yourself always physically 
fit and of avoiding harmful habits is of more importance than 
the actual games you play only once in a while. In fact, the 
latter, if they are very violent, will do you harm instead of good 
unless you are prepared for them. 

True sportsmanship is the finest lesson you can learn from 
your athletics. There is nothing more inspring than to see a 
team of boys fighting their best against odds in an athletic game, 
and yet keeping their temper and manliness as well as their heads, 
and meeting defeat with no feeling of bitterness for 'their op- 
ponents. Play the game according to the rules, catch the spirit of 
true sport, and do not complain of officials or opponents at 
every opportunity. Victory is not worth the price, if, to win it, 
you must lose your self-respect to the extent that you will cease 
to be fair or courteous to the other fellow. A defeat is some- 
times better than a victory if you take it in the right spirit; you 
must learn how to lose as well as how to win. 





SENS. 
TRWIN. „. , „ , 

Jacksonville High School. Cameron High School. 

Tied for individual honors in state track meet, 1915. 



m 




H. SMITH. 

Grandview High School, all-round state 

champion in track, Class B 

division. 1915. 



II 

THE FIKST ESSENTIAL FOR AN ATHLETE 

Care of the Body. — The care of the "body is the all-important 
thing. To win contests, the body must be kept in condition. 
That means attention to the following essentials of health: 

(a) Food and Drink. — In matters of food, every one must be 
his own physician. What is good for one may not be good for 
another. You should find out what agrees with you and what 
does not, and eat accordingly. Do not be afraid to eat plenty 
of good food, although you may find that a little dieting will 
do you good, especially before a contest. If you are troubled 
with indigestion, dieting will aid nature, but dieting will not re- 
move fat, as some people suppose. It takes exercise to do that. 

To promote good digestion, avoid an undue amount of pastry 
and sweets. Avoid also an excessive meat diet. Be agreeble at 
the table. Avoid any unpleasantness anywhere, but especially at 
the table. Do not eat when tired, and avoid any hard work, 
either mental or physical, directly after eating. Do not eat 
hastily, nor at all times of the day or night. Be regular, and 
take your time. If you are troubled with biliousness, it is prob- 
ably due to over-eating, or the consumption of animal fats that 
are difficult to digest. A good remedy is to change your diet, 
and not eat so much. Learn from the textbook on physiology 
and hygiene the various food values of different articles of 
diet, such as brain food, heat-producing food, and muscle-pro- 
ducing food, and then try to suit your diet to include the better 
classes of each kind of food, including more of the kind which 
you seem to stand most in need of. 

As to drinking, it is unnecessary to say anything about intoxi- 
cants, when every child knows their injurious effects. Generally 
speaking, coffee and tea would better be left alone, if one wishes 
to make a strong, healthy, long-lived man or woman. But some 
people do not seem to have any trouble from these stimulants, 
when taken moderately. It is safe to say, however, that for a 
growing boy or girl coffee and tea will do no good and wiU be 
likely to do much harm, especially if one engages in athletic con- 
tests where strong hearts and steady nerves are required. Most 



16 Bulletin of the University of Texas 

of the drinks sold at soda fountains are not injurious in them- 
selves, but they are very injurious when taken to excses, as is too 
often the case. A glass of water before breakfast will be found 
a fine thing for the digestion. As to drinking cold water, milk, 
etc., opinions differ, but the majority are against drinks that are 
more than moderately cold. A cold drink may not harm a 
stomach of strong vitality but may do much harm to one of low 
vitality. Contestants often drink too much cold water during a 
contest. This is very bad, not only for its permanent effect, but 
it renders the contestant incapable of putting forth his best 
effort at the time. 

(b) Cigarettes. — You have read in the textbook and you have 
heard people preach to you about the harm of cigarettes, but did 
it ever come home to you ? You are now thinking of trying for 
the track team. You know, and everybody knows, that ciga- 
rettes weaken the heart. You know, also, that to win where there 
is much competition, you must have a strong heart. What w^ill 
you do? Continue to use cigarettes, or be sensible, self-respect- 
ing and manly, and ''cut them out"? It is up to yon. 

Every successful athlete, whether track man, baseball player, 
pugilist, or any other kind, in the world will tell you that ciga- 
rettes will shorten your wind, sap your vitalit}^, weaken your 
heart, in fact ruin your chances of success. Every trainer will 
tell you the same thing. No prize-fighter would think of going 
in to train for a championship match without abstaining from 
cigarettes. It would be well for every high school athlete to read 
the words of Jess Willard or of John L. Sullivan about the use 
■of tobacco and especially of cigarettes. There can be no ques- 
tion that these men know what they are talking about. You may 
be a fairly good runner, jumper, or football player, as it is ; in 
fact, you may be a star of your team. And yet if you have the 
habit of cigarettes, how much better might you become if you 
would leave them off. Suppose you try it for a year. If you 
use your brains, you will. 

(c) Exercise. — It is unnecessary to say anything here about 
the importance of exercise, since everyone knows that is essen- 
tial to the development of a strong body. It may be said that 
most high school pupils get enough of exercise, especially if they 
engage in games or athletic contests. Very few, however, take 
their exercise in the way that will do them the most good. They 



Flay and Athletics ■ 17 

either are too irregular as to the time, or they take too much 
at one time and too little at another. To get the desired results, 
exercise must be adapted to the condition of the individual. 
Where the heart or lungs are weak, gentle exercise should be 
taken at regular intervals, and violent or sudden exertion should 
be avoided. Where the muscles are soft or weak on account of 
a period of inaction, great care should be used in gradually 
toughening them by easy exercises in walking, trotting, dumb 
bells, Indian clubs, etc., before attempting any strenuous exer- 
tion. In getting in condition for any athletic contest, you can- 
not be too careful about taking it easy at first. , Then after you 
have hardened yourself by gradually increasing the length and 
severity of your exercises, keep in condition by taking plenty of 
exercise at regular periods. 

Furthermore, put life into your efforts, and a will. Put the 
play spirit into whatever you do, but put will also. Vary your 
exercise frequently, and see that each part of the body, and each 
set of muscles, gets its share. Variety in exercise, like variety 
in the food we eat, helps in tAvo ways': it brings into play differ- 
ent sets of muscles and strengthens different organs and parts 
of the body, just as variety in food gives different elements of 
nutriment ; and it also acts as a tonic for the muscular and ner- 
vous systems just as variety in food acts as a tonic for the diges- 
tive organs. 

(d) Best. — Rest is as important as exercise. Long and stren- 
uous exertion is bound to have a bad effect during the early 
years of life. For that reason, severe training, or the playing 
of prolonged and violent games, or running long races under 
pressure of close competition, should not be engaged in by the 
younger boys. Frequent periods of rest should come in the inter- 
vals of playiind other exercise. Furthermore, for the older high 
school boys, the day, or possibly two days before a hard contest,, 
there should be a relaxation from the harder kinds of practice. 
In this way an extra sup;^ly of energy will be acquired that will 
stand in good stead during the contest, and will not only help 
you to put forth the best that is in you, but will tend to prevent 
any ill effects that might otherwise follow. Any one who wants to 
build up a strong constitution must get plenty of sleep and must 
not carry physical exercise beyond the point of fatigue. 

(e) Bathing. — Without a good bath immediately afterwards, 



18 Bulletin of the University of Texas 

fully fifty per cent, of the good to be derived from exercise is 
lost. Nothing is more important for any one in the matter of 
training than a bath in water of suitable temperature accom- 
panied by a good rub-do\^Ti, following the work-out or the ath- 
letic game. Until recently there were few high schools in Texas 
where any provision was made for this important item. Happily 
this condition is fast becoming changed, and most up-to-date 
high schools now have a dressing-room and shower bath in the 
basement for the members of the various athletic teams. Always 
follow vigorous exercise with a sponge bath, in cold water if you 
are of high vitality and in lukewarm water if your vitality is 
low. Another time for a cold bath is immediately on rising in 
the morning. Always follow a cold bath with a brisk rub-down, 
especially if you are going out in the open air. Do not take a 
hot bath too often, but a good hot bath once a week, taken just 
before retiring, is necessary to cleanse the skin thoroughly. 

(f) ClotMng. — Dress, as far as you can, according to the 
weather and what you are doing. While practising or compet- 
ing in athletics, always put on a sweater or coat the moment you 
cease perspiring. This will keep your muscles from getting 
chilled and keep them in good condition. Sore arms and legs 
are caused many times from failure to observe this simple rule. 
Especially in the winter months, take care not to get unduly 
exposed to cold winds after a work-out. 



Ill 

TRACK AND FIELD ATHLETICS 

No athletic sport has gained so rapidly in popular favor in 
recent years as track and field contests. Perhaps nowhere, in 
interscholastic circles, has this development been so marked as 
in Texas. Today there is not a state in the Union where greater 
interest in this form of high school athletics is shown than in 
onr State. And track and field sports offer, in many respects, 
the most desirable form of athletics. There is less chance of 
trickery, less temptation to play unfair, and less opportunity 
for dispute and unpleasant feeling to arise as a result of compe- 
tition, than in some of the other games such as football, for 
example. In the spring of 1915, over seventy counties in Texas 
held enthusiastic interscholastic meets under the auspices of the 
State League, while 393 boys, representing 81 schools, many 
of them rural schools, gathered at the University of Texas for 
the greatest interscholastic meet ever held in the South. At this 
meet, nine State records were broken. With the growth of the 
State League, and the carefully planned list of events and rules 
to govern adapted to meet the needs of all classes of schools, 
every school in the State ought to enter one or more boys and 
girls in the annual county meet. The rules governing the va- 
rious events, with the list of same, division of contestants, etc., 
are to be found in the University Bulletin entitled: Athletic 
Rules of the University Interscholastic League. A copy of this 
bulletin will be sent free to any teacher or pupil who will write 
for it to the Extension Department, University, Austin, Texas, 

THE DIFFERENT EVENTS 

Running. — A sprint is a race at full speed from start to fin- 
ish. All races up to the quarter, and in most cases it too, are now 
run as sprints. In sprinting, we must pay attention to (a) the 
start, (b) getting into the stride, (c) acquiring staying power. 

When a sprint race is called, dig two holes for your feet, one 
about six inches back of the starting line, the other about eighteen 
inches back, and a little to one side. The latter hole should be 





Grandview High School Team. '±hib Lcam vVuii scl;uj 
B division, state meet of 1915. 



-liuio ill Class 




Greenville High School Relay Team, winners at both the A. &. M. and 

the University of Texas meets, 1915. This team 

cut 7 3/5 seconds from the state record. 



Play and Athletics 21 

deeper, and. steep so as to give a good brace for the ball of the 
foot. 

At the command of the starter, "On your marks," place your 
feet in the holes, with your fingers on the line. One knee should 
be about opposite the instep of the other foot. At the command, 
"Get set,'' place yourself in a springing position, with hips 
raised, arms straight, head up and body leaning forward. Dis- 
tribute your weight evenly on both feet, with a little on the 
fingers. Weight should be on balls of feet. Take a deep breath. 
Concentrate all your attention on your spring. At the crack of 
the pistol, spring forward with all the force on both feet. Do not 
straighten up at once, but do so gradually, within three or four 
paces. 

Get into your stride as quickly as possible, always looking 
straight ahead. Take only one or two breaths in a short sprint. 
One breath should carry you from thirty to fifty yards. Do not 
let up at the tape, but dash into it, hands up, at top speed as if 
you had ten yards more to go. 

Incline your body slightly forward, but not too much. Keep 
your head up, chin somew^hat forward. Do not raise heels too 
high, but the instant feet are up, bring them forward, legs 
always in n straight line. Eaise your knees well in front, but 
not too soon, as this will shorten your stride. Point your toes 
straight ahead, and hit the ground hard at each bound. Do not 
force your stride longer than it is naturally. If you keep good 
form, it will lengthen itself. 

In the 220 yards dash, you may hold back just a little for the 
final effort, if you don 't get too far behind. 

Never run a race without dancing around and warming up. 
Take several deep breaths just before going to your marks. In 
practice, never run the full distance at top speed at first. The 
following is a good plan to follow in practice for the shorter 
dashes : 

Monday. — Practise the start five times. Do not run at full 
speed more than 20 yards. Take a short rest after each start. 
Take an easy jog for 50 or 60 yards, and finish the 100 yards fast. 

Tuesday. — Take 300 or 400 yards at an easy jog. 

Wednesday. — Practise the start three times. Rest, then run 50 
yards full speed. Rest, and run 60 yards full speed. 



22 Bulletin of the University of Texas 

Tkiirsday. — Practise starting six or eight times. Take 300 
yards at an easy jog. 

Friday. — Go 80 yards at full speed. Kest, then go 50 yards at 
speed. Jog 100 yards. 

Saturday. — Practise the start twice. Rnn 100 yards at speed. 
Rest, then jog 200 yards. 

For the quarter mile run, use the crouching start as in the 
shorter sprints. In the half-mile and mile runs, start from an 
upright position. 

Points in the rules for runners to remember are: 

(a) As soon as you go to the track, get a program, and get 
your number and pin it on you. 

(b) At starting, if any part of your body touches the ground 
in front of the line before the signal is given, it is a foul and the 
offender is punished by being set back a yard or more for each 
offense. 

(c) The finish of a race is the whitewash line on the ground, 
and not the tape stretched above it. A race is not finished till 
the runner crosses this line. To avoid striking the tape with 
your hands or arms, throw them up as you finish. 

(d) In races on a straight track, each runner has his own 
lane, and he must not cross into another's lane or interfere with 
him in any way. To do so is a foul. 

(e) In races on a circular track, you must not cross in front 
of another runner till you are at least two strides ahead of him. 
To do so is a foul. You must not run into or otherwise interfere 
with another runner. 

RELAY RACES 

The relay races ordinarily run by select teams of school boys 
are the mile, the half-mile, and the 440 yards relays, with four 
boys on each team, each boy in the mile relay running? a quarter 
mile, each boy in the half-mile relay running 220 yards, and each 
boy in the 440 yards relay running 110 j^ards. But a relay race 
may be run with any number of boys competing provided the 
same number is on each team, and the distance for each runner 
may vary from 30 yards to a quarter mile. 

Suppose it is a half-mile relay, with four on each team, and 
suppose there are four teams. The teams draw for places. The 
other runners of a team must keep the same positions at the start 



Play and Athletics 



23 



that the first runner had. The first runner on each team carries 
a stick or flag, which he must hand to the second runner at his 
finish line. The second runner must wait at the finish of the 
first 220 yards to receive the stick; he cannot run back to meet 
the first runner. He in turn must hand it to the third runner at 
the finish of the next 220 yards, and so on. The team whose 
last runner first reaches the finish lines with the stick is the 
winner. 

This race can be easily run with a very large number of boys 




Ready for the start, half mile run. 

on each team, and it is always very interesting to the spectators. 
If there is to be a handicap for any team, the whole distance is 
allowed at' the start of the race. 

Hurdle Races. — The hurdle races commonly run by school boys 
are the 120-yards low hurdle and the 220-yards low hurdle. Each 
hurdle is 30 inches high. In the 120-yard hurdle race, the 
hurdles, ten in number, are placed 10 yards apart, the first 
and last ones being 15 yards from the start and the finish, 
respectively. Hurdle racing requires a great deal of speed a& 




^^ 



- 




m. 


1 



PIER. 

Star track man, St. Edward's Academy. Notice the relati«ve 

height of knees, and the forward and upward 

look of the eyes. 



Play and Athletics 25 

well as jumping ability and endurance. It is one of the most 
trying of all athletic events, and for that reason should not be 
run except by robust boys. 

The easiest, but not the fastest way to clear the hurdle is to 
swing the left foot inward nearly parallel with the hurdle. If 
your legs are long enough, quicker time can be made by keeping 
the leg straight. Practise with one hurdle until you can clear it 
in proper form without slacking your speed. Face the hurdle 
squarely, and take it at top speed. As you go over, throw your 
weight forward, pointing the front leg out and down, and keep 
your foot pointed straight ahead as you alight. Learn to hit 
your stride instantly on reaching ground, making the first step 
short. Keep your body well balanced over the leg as you descend. 
When you have learned one hurdle well, and not before, try two, 
then three, then all of them. The right form is of the greatest 
importance, and unless you are willing to take the patience to 
practice faithfully, you will never be a good hurdler. Remember 
the three main points : (1) to take each hurdle at top speed, and 
facing it, (2) throw the body forward and point the front leg 
somewhat out in front as you go over, and (3) to hit the ground 
with the weight well on the first foot, so that the second foot can 
instantly take a short step and you can hit your full speed at 
once. 

A hurdler needs an especially strong body, besides speed. The 
muscles of the neck, abdomen, and hips and legs should be strong, 
and also the arms. These may be strengthened by special gym- 
nastic exercises. 

The hurdler must remember, (1) not to knock the hurdles 
over, (2) not to step on top of them. 

Three-Legged Race. — Besides being very interesting to spec- 
tators, this event calls for a great deal of skill and speed. Fasten 
a strap to the inside ankles of two runners, and join these by a 
loop strap three inches long. Fasten a similar strap above the 
knees, with a connecting loop two inches long. It is well to have 
one runner taller than the other, so that he can get a good hold 
over his partner's shoulder around his waist. Practise the start 
faithfully, and run just as if you were running the race alone. 
This event requires a great deal of practice, but the improvement 
that will result is well worth it. 



26 Bulletin of the University of Texas 

Potato Race. — This is another very interesting event, but very 
trying, and hence should not be made too long, and children 
should practise a good deal before being allowed to enter a 
closely contested meet. For each contestant, place a basket con- 
taining three potatoes at the far end of a 12-yard line. Along 
the line every three yards, draw a 2-foot circle, the first circle 
being three yards from the starting line and the third circle 
being three yards from the basket. A contestant must start from 
the starting line and run to the basket, get one potato and place 
it in circle No. 1, or the one farthest from the basket. He then 
gets a second potato and places it in the middle circle, then gets 
the third potato and places it in the third circle. He then races 
t-o the starting line, returns, and replaces the potatoes, one at a 
time, in the basket, in the order in which they were distributed. 
He must go around the basket each time a potato is replaced in 
it. He finishes in a dash across the starting line. In practising 
for this race, do not run fast at first. Go through slowly at first, 
and get firmly in mind just what to do at each step. Acquire 
accuracy in getting the potatoes and in placing them in the 
circles so they will stay. If one rolls out, you must return and 
place it back in the circle, else you are disqualified. After you 
have drilled yourself a number of times on accuracy, skill in 
turning, etc., then you can develop speed. 

JUMPING AND VAULTING. 

Running high jump. — In this event it is very important to 
practise the run until you know just the right distance to get 
the take-off. You must not rise too near the bar, for that will 
throw you into it, and if you rise too far back you will not go 
over it at your greatest height. Speed is not necessary, nor is 
a long run. It is best to approach the bar straight in front and 
to make the last step short and quick, as in the running broad 
jump. As you rise, say on the left foot, throw the right leg up 
in front parallel with the bar and close to the body, swinging 
the arms up and out. As you go over the bar, the body should 
be in a horizontal position, the left leg being brought up and 
over the bar with a twist of the bodj^ and an upward swing of 
the left arm. 

Standing high jump. — The feet must not leave the ground but 



Flay and Athletics 21 

once in an attempt. If so, it counts as a trial without result. 
Throw the body up sidewise to the bar, and throw the right leg 
over the bar first. Then as the body goes over, swing the left 
leg up and over. As in the running high jump, do not keep 
the body in an upright position, for that would require strength 
to be used that would otherwise help in lifting the rest of the 
body over the bar. As the body goes over, it should be in a 
horizontal position. 

Bunning hroad jump. — There should be a take-off board, 2 
inches by 8 inches by 2 feet, flush with the ground, and the 
earth should be dug out 3 inches deep for 2 square feet in front. 
The jump is measured from the take-off, and not from where the 
jumper rose. Hence you must practise until you rise easily from 
the take-off. If you stop over it, it is a trial without result, and 
if you rise back of it, you lose that much distance. The jump is 
measured to the nearest mark made by any part of the jumper's 
body. This requires you to keep your balance and not fall or 
jump backward, on alighting. 

Do not run too far; about fifteen paces is far enough. Prac- 
tise till you have the strides down so that you will rise at the 
take-off. To get momentum, speed is very important, and should 
be greatest about nine or ten paces from the take-off. Just 
before reaching the take-off, you should slacken your speed so as 
to throw your effort into your spring. The last step should not 
be long, but should be short and quick. Throw the body up and 
forward, swinging the arms up and forward also. Bring the 
knees well up, and do not let them down too soon, but throw 
them forward. The momentum of the body will carry it on so 
that you will not fall back. 

Standing broad jump. — The same rules as to take-off board, 
measuring, etc., apply in this jump as in the running broad 
jump. The feet must not leave the ground but once in an at- 
tempt. One common fault with untrained jumpers is not to get 
the body high enough in the air. You should give a strong 
spring upward as well as forward, and bring the knees well up 
in front, throwing the feet forward as you land. 

Hop-step-jump — The same rules as to take-off' board, measur- 
ing, etc., apply in this event as in the broad jumps. The jumper 
must spring from one foot, for otherwise it is not a hop. He 



28 



Bulletin of the TJnivei^sity of Texas 



must first hop, then step, then jump, and there must be no stop 
between any two of these. Do not hop or step so far that you 
have no momentum left for the jump. The jump should be 
much longer than either the hop or the step. The step should 
be the shortest of the three. 

Pole vault. — The pole should be 14 or 16 feet long, and the 
best material is spruce. A better grip is had if you wind the pole 
with electric tape. Grasp the pole, thumb up. Tou can tell by 
practise the best place for each hand. One should be a little 




Showing correct form in the pole vault. Notice the vaiilter has turned 
round and is facing the bar as he falls. 

below the cross bar and the other about twice as far above it. If 
you rise from the left foot, carry the pole on the right side of 
the body, and swing the body to the right of the pole as you 
rise, keeping close to it. Begin the run about thirty paces from 
the bar, and be at top speed about fifteen paces away. The last 
step should be short so you can throw momentum into the spring. 
Practise the run until you can place the point of the pole in 
the hole in front of the take-off accurately without having to 



Play and Athletics 29 

give it attention. Just as the pole is settled, leap forward and 
up with all your strength, throwing the legs upward and giving 
a strong pull with the arms, at the same time making a half 
turn with the body so that it faces the bar. As you leap into 
the air with legs uppermost, slip the lower hand up to the other 
one. It must not be placed above the other one, nor can you 
raise the upper hand. As your feet and body clear the bar, 
throw^ your legs downw^ard, at the same time giving the pole 
a push as you let it go, throwing the arms up. This brings them 
clear of the bar. 

WEIGHTS 

Putting the shot. — While weight and strength are very im- 
portant in this event, yet a great deal depends on form. In 
getting form, learn first the "reverse," then the glide, and finally 
practise making the connection between the glide and the 
"reverse." 

In practising the ' ' reverse, ' ' stand with left side to the front. 
Hold the shot in the palm of the hand, grasping it with the 
fingers and letting it rest a little on the base of fingers. Keep 
arm close to the body, holding shot well up by the shoulder. The 
other arm should be stretched out and up, and the body bent 
back and down. But do not stoop too low in making the put. 
Now quickly reverse this position, pushing the right arm out and 
up, taking one step forvrarcl with right leg, and drawing left 
arm and leg back. Get all the force and speed possible in this 
movement. Be sure to keep the shot up and arm close to 
shoulder. Bring the body around before shooting the arm out. 

The glide is made by taking two steps forward from rear of 
circle, keeping left leg in front. After learning the reverse and 
glide, it is very important to make the reverse after the glide 
without any stop whatever. The glide is to put momentum into 
the reverse, and if any hesitation occurs whatever this momentum 
is lost. 

Throwing the hammer. — Face opposite the direction of the 
throw, reaching around with hammer as far as you can. Swing 
it around the head three times, then make the first turn of the 
body, covering very little distance. The next turn and the next 
are made at increasing speed. At the end of the third turn you 
should be against the stop board of the circle. Keep the body 



30 Bulletin of the University of Texas 

ahead of the hammer, and stand on the toes when throwing. You 
will have to practise carefully to control the direction of the 
throw and to stay in the circle. 

THE DISCUS 

The throw of the discus is made in somewhat similar manner 
to that of the hammer, but weight and strength are not so im- 
portant as skill. The same attention must be given to getting 
the glide and the reverse easily and smoothly, and to putting 
ever increasing speed into the turns. You must be careful here, 
also, to stay in the circle, for otherwise it is a foul. A good deal 
of attention will have to be given to getting the proper hold on 
the discus. Let it lie fiat against the palm of the hand, spread- 
ing the fingers out so that they grasp the outer edge. Try the 
stationary throw until you get that down, before trying the turn. 

BASEBALL THROW 

A baseball throw for distance is ordinarily made after a short 
run, but it was thought best to require that this event in meets 
under the direction of the Interscholastic League, should be made 
from a seven-foot circle as in the hammer, discus, and shot events, 
as this will call for more skill, arid greater control of the body. 
You should practise to get the right elevation. It is not a good 
idea to throw too high; about forty-five degrees is best. It is 
a well known fact that many of the speediest baseball pitchers 
cannot throw the ball as far as some fielders who have not so 
much speed when pitching. This shows the importance of prac- 
tice. No matter how strong you are, you can throw much farther 
after practising faithfully. 

The baseball throw for accuracy is another good event. Fix a 
catcher's mitt or a pad of some kind, about four feet from the 
ground and 50 or 65 feet away. Allow three trials, as in other 
field events, counting the best one. For touching the mitt but 
glancing ofl^, allow one point. For hitting the mitt squarely, 
allow five points. If there is a tie between teams, move the line 
back five yards and then have them throw again. If there is still 
a tie, allow one point more to the team hitting the mark squarely 
the greatest number of times. 



THE TRAINING OF YOUNG ATHLETES 

By F. L. ("Texas") Ramsdehl 

Begin Training Early 

It is desirable to begia training for track athletics early in 
the winter or even in the fall, for in most parts of this branch 
of sport it takes time and patience to acquire the "form" that 
is necessary for success. In Texas, moreover, it is generally 
possible to train out doors all the winter. In this respect Texas 
boys have a great advantage over those in the North, for out- 
door training, except in bad weather, is far more beneficial 
than that in a gymnasium. 

One of the most essential things for this winter training is 
to keep colds from settling in the muscles of the young ath- 
letes, especially the runners. The best way to do this is to 
have each runner' wear a heavy pair of long underdrawers 
while he is out on the track. These should be worn until 
spring, when all chance for cold is gone. If a cold once gets 
into a runner's muscles, it will give trouble for a long time 
and may cause a soreness that will last aU season. During the 
time the boys are wearing these drawers, never let them pull 
them off to take starts or trials. They should do their work 
with them on. 

The Track Work. Care at the First of the Season, 

The trainer cannot be too careful at the first of the season, 
especially with beginners or even vnth boys who have pre- 
viously done track work. On the first day out they will want 
to run races among themselves and to put in every particle of 
energy they have. As a result they frequently become sore 
and stiff and then get discouraged because they fall. into worse 
physical condition than before they began training. Then, too, 
they find themselves incapable of doing as well as they expected 
and soon convince themselves that they can never become track 
athletes. At first, do not let them work hard or long at a time. 
It is necessarj^ only for them to get the desired muscular action, 
to acquire better muscular coordination. If the training is be- 



32 Bulletin of the University of Texas 

gun in the spring, it is even more necessary not to let them 
work too hard at first. Let the runners go only at about 
three-fourth speed, and when the work begins to punish them 
let them slow down to a jog and after getting rested go again. 
Be careful not to give them too long a "work-out." The point 
is never to let them work down completely in practice, but to 
see that they reserve their strength for later effort, and in the 
meantime acquire good muscular coordination. If this sort of 
practice is given regularly you will soon find them a1)le to go 
a little farther each day. 

"Warming Tip" 

In all cases a runner should spend a great deal of time in 
warming up before a race or hard practice ; and under no con- 
sideration should he exert himself greatly unless his muscles 
are properly warmed and loosened up. Otherwise, he is likely 
to "pull" a tendon; and when once this has happened, that 
tendon can never be depended upon again. Ninety-nine out of 
every hundred troubles of this sort are caused by not warming 
up properly. The best way to warm up is to take easy swings 
up and down the track, gradually letting the muscles warm by 
this light use, and then dance up and down on the toes, bring- 
ing the knees up to the chest. The first should be practiced 
by distance men, while both should be used by sprinters. 
Sprinters should take- especial care to get properly warmed up, 
because the sudden and strenuous exertion required of them 
is the most likely to cause troul)le. On the day of the race have 
the runner go out half an hour before the race — especially if 
it is a cool day — and spend some ten or fifteen minutes warm- 
ing up ; then have him come in and have his muscles well rub- 
bed, and keep him covered up warm until his race. Then, be- 
fore he goes to his marks, have him spend a little time dancing 
about on his toes to get his muscles properly loosened. When 
waiting at the marks before a race, never keep still, keep 
dancing. If one stands still for a moment, the muscles will be- 
come set and will not respond nearly as well as they should. 

Training the Runners 
Trainers often make the mistake of spending too much time 



Play and Athletics 33 

in coaching the sprinters to get a quick start, saying that the 
sprint is won or lost there. That would be true only when the 
runners are of equal speed and strength, and it may hold for 
a very short sprint like the 50-yard dash; but it is a mistake 
for the standard distances. A quick start is very important, 
but it is not nearly as important as a strong finish. Generally, 
the man who wins races is not the one who is first away from 
his holes, but the first into his running, provided he has any 
"running," and then has the strength to finish hard. Have the 
sprinter spend most of his time in swinging along at about 
threefourths speed — a good fast swing. He should just let his 
legs carry him along, running smoothly, with a good stride. 
Have him swing anywhere from 100 to 250 yards, five or six 
times, after he once gets warmed up, until it begins to "pull"; 
then stop, dance around a ])it, and go again. But all the time 
he should keep moving while in his running clothes. Have him 
work out of his holes only enough to keep familiar with them, 
and enough to connect his start quickly with his running stride. 

By the swings he increases his speed, endurance, and stride ; 
while the thing to work for in the starts, about one afternoon 
a week, is to get the connection between the start and the run- 
ning stride as soon as possible. In the start, the main thing is 
the concentration of mind upon the exertion of all the muscular 
energies the instant the gun is fired. 

For the longer runs, I have found it best in general to work 
a man beyond the required distance at a slightly reduced 
speed to develop strength and endurance, and under the re- 
quired distance at a slightly greater speed to develop speed and 
staying ability. In the first I should say about one and one- 
half times the distance, while in the latter, about three-fourths 
the distance. (But in no case let your runner run until he is 
exhausted.) This will apply generally from the quarter mile 
up. However, I have found better results by sticking mostly 
to the under distance in the quarter, though that depends on 
the style of race he is to run. The style I like best in this race 
is to run from the shot of the gun all the way — that is, do not 
save back for a sprint at the finish. The quarter is, in fact, the 
hardest race on the program. My method for it is to start 
training the sprinter at the gait you expect him to have to run 
it — say, 52 seconds — and tell him to keep that gait until he 



34 Bulletin of the University of Texas 

begins to tire, then to slow down to a jog. He should do this 
each day, after he has properly warmed up. You will find that 
he will be able to get a little farther every day, until he gets 
around 350 or 400 yards. Then the excitement of the race will 
easily carry him the remaining distance. 

Remember never to let a boy run himself out completely ex- 
cept in a race. In a race he is out to win, but in practice he is 
preparing himself for the i-ace and should, therefore, build up 
and conserve his physical energy in order to accumulate a large 
store for the great event. It is obvious that if he is allowed 
to run his strength out each day in practice he will not have the 
extra amount needed on the day of the race. Often you hear 
of a sprinter running a wonderful trial race a day or two before 
a meet and then not being able to repeat it on the day when he 
needs to. This is because he had exhausted his strength in 
the trial race and did not have sufficient time to restore it for 
the final race. The same is true of all athletes, the jumpers, 
vault ers and even the weight men. Never let your man try his 
best for the full distance oftener than once in each week. Don't 
let the runner carry a stop-watch, nor let him see you holding 
a watch on him, except now and then when estimating his pace. 
"When constantly used, it does more harm than good. 

THE FIELD EVENTS 

Form is required more in the field events than in the track 
events, for, while many good runners have different styles of 
running, in the field events the regulation form is very essen- 
tial. Therefore, in these it is especially necessary to begin work 
early in the year. In these, too, one should warm up gradually 
before trying hard, and in the jijmps and pole vaults the warm- 
ing up is just as essential as in the sprints and practically of 
the same nature. 

The hammer depends on the number of turns taken. Of 
course, the form is the same, only, the more turns taken the 
less care can be taken for each turn. The left foot is kept on the 
ground and is slid back even just as essential as in the sprints 
and of practically the same nature. 

The hammer and disciis are worked on the same principle, 
that is, the turn is. One of the most essential things in the 



Flay and Athletics 35 

throwing of these is to keep on the ground. Do not jump up 
in the air when turning. If so, you lose your purchase and the 
ground and you have no power back of your heave. 

With the discus it is simply two quick swinging steps with 
the power of legs, body, and arm back of the throw when turned 
loose. On the beginning of the turns the hammer is ahead of the 
man pulling him around, but in making the swing around the 
man gets ahead of the hammer, and it again passes him about the 
time he slides the left foot back. So the hammer and man 
pass each other twice in making each turn. 

The best way to get both the hammer and discus is to study 
it out for yourself. It will soon become clear to you. 

In turning the hammer loose always throw it over your 
shoulder and never under, as the required elevation can not be 
got from below your shoulders. An elevation of about 45 
degrees is what you should work for in all the weight events. 
The essential thing in the shot put is the simultaneous drive 
from leg, body, and arms. In the pole vault it is to get the 
slide ; in the high jump, the kick and turn as the jumper rises 
above the bar. 

In starting off with a beginner it is a good thing to put a 
short handle on the hammer until he gets the required form, 
then gradually extend it to the proper length. Don't let a boy 
become discouraged because he does not do well at first. It 
usually takes a long time for a man to become a good vaulter 
or hammer thrower. 

** conditioning" 

One of the most necessary things for the trainer to do is to 
make a study of the habits and disposition of each individual 
he is trying to train. You rarely find two persons of exactly 
the same temperament, and, therefore, the work that suits one 
may not suit the other at all. A nervous, high strung boy should 
never be made to do the same amount of work as a slow, phleg- 
matic one. Sometimes you will see a trainer trying to make a 
whole squad of young fellows do the same kind and amount of 
work and wondering why some of them progress and others 
become stale. Always watch the men carefully and give them 
the work they seem to require. Always fit the work to suit 
the individual and never, under any circumstances, try to make 



36 Bulletin of the University of Texas 

the individual fit the work. The central dominating purpose 
in the training is to work to get the athlete into the best phy- 
sical condition possible at the time of the contest — not a week 
before or a week after, bnt on the daj^ It takes an experienced 
man to do that, and often he goes wrong. All will agree that 
for an athlete to put forth his best efforts, he must be in his 
best condition. It is in bringing about this condition that the 
trainers differ. 

The hardest problem that confronts the trainer is to keep his 
men in condition after he once gets them there. It is impos- 
sible for a man to keep on a keen edge for a race any great 
length of time, therefore most trainers like to have a particular 
contest before them to work towards, and then try to bring the 
men into condition gradually so that they will be in the best of 
condition on the day of the meet. This is where the trainer 
must use judgment and common sense and exercise restraint. 
Often a man runs a good race in a preliminary meet a few weeks 
before the big event and then ''goes back" before the real 
race comes off. That means that he has become stale. He did 
too much work and trained himself to too fine a point. It is 
better, when the great event of the season is at the close, to 
lose the early meets than to overtrain your men for them and 
run the risk of having them stale at the time of the great 
contest. 

Never let the athlete use stimulants of any kind nor eat pies 
or any kind of pastry, coffee, greasy meats, biscuits or hot 
cakes while training. Everybody knows the harmful effects 
of stimulants. The other things are hard to digest, and, by 
remaining as a load in the stomach, tend to reduce the strength 
of the athlete, keeping him out of ''condition." 

A great many boys think that they should l)e in condition 
after training for two or three weeks. At the best this is im- 
possible, for it takes more time than that to bring about the 
proper muscular development; and when boys have been going 
along for forty-nine or fifty weeks in a year, smoking and 
otherwise violating training rules, it is absolutely absurd to 
think they can get the effects all out of their system and 1)6 
strong in a couple of weeks. To be an athlete one should take 
the best care of himself all the time. The better care he takes 



Flay and Athletics 37 

during the winter, the better and quicker lie will find his form 
in the spring. 

You sometimes hear doctors condemn athletics as injurious, 
saying that it causes the heart to become enlarged, and,- in 
after years, fat and flabby. This is true in lots of cases, but 
it is not the athletics that hurts, it is the sudden change from 
training to ''breaking training." The man who lives a good, 
moderate and clean life the year round is not hurt by athletics. 
The man who has the fat and enlarged heart is the one who 
breaks training after football and track season by getting on 
a spree for a few days. It has been clearly proven that a 
properly trained and clean-living athlete will not be bothered 
with an enlarged heart. So if you lead a clean, consistent 
life, don't be afraid; athletics won't bother your heart, but 
will strengthen it. i 



MISCELLANEOUS GAMES 

The constant aim of every teacher should be so to organize 
the playground games that the largest number of pupils pos- 
sible will participate in them. For that reason, preference 
should be given to those contests in which there may be a 
great many on a side. The wise teacher will not attempt to 
introduce every game to be found in a playground manual, but 
will select those few, say one or two for each group, which 
seem to appeal to the pupils most and which will engage large 
numbers — bearing in mind, of course, the educational value 
which the particular game in each case possesses. 

In general, games are either team-games or they are individ- 
ualistic. The former, such as football, baseball, basket-ball, etc., 
when properly directed teach the important lesson of co-opera- 
tion, or team-work. The latter, including track and field events, 
develop individual prowess solely. Both kinds of games are 
valuable; but perhaps relatively the team games should be 
stressed more than the other kind, since team-work seems to 
be one of the most deeply felt needs of American life. In 
giving a place to such games, however, care should be exer- 
cised to see that the socializing, co-operative qualities are en- 
couraged and brought out, and that the objectionable features 
so frequently accompanying such contests are reduced to a 
minimum. Since footl)all, baseball, and basket-ball are games 
that require the assistance of a coach who has had actual play- 
ing experience, no space is given in this bulletin to a treatment 
of those games. Such few suggestions as might have been in- 
cluded herein would not be of use to a team that has no coach, 
and would be needless to a team with one. For printed material 
on the subjects mentioned, the high school player or coach is 
refeiTcd to the books given in the bibliography in the back of 
this ])ulletin. 

One word, however, should be said about the much discussed 
and much abused subject of football. One great objection to 
football as a school game comes from the keen rivalry and 



Play and Athletics 39 

the anxiety to win, which is liable to lead teachers as well as 
students to give too much time to it, to resort to questionable 
means in order to win, and to harbor suspicions and ill-feeling 
against opposing teams. There is really no necessity for such 
a state of affairs, and teachers and students alike are appealed 
to, to unite in an effort to raise this fine game above the re- 
proaches to which it is sometimes subjected because of the over- 
zealous efforts to win. Let us keep always uppermost in our 
minds the determination to play fairly and to have respect 
for officials. Always have a thorough understanding with op- 
posing teams as to terms and rules before the game, and then 
when it is over abide by the result. Always let the visiting 
team be treated as guests, both before and after the game. 
See that every precaution is taken to keep the field clear of 
spectators, and let coaches impress upon their players the prin- 
ciples of clean playing. Whenever it is necessary to go out- 
side of the school faculty to get a coach, let him and the prin- 
cipal have a thorough understanding as to the conduct of play- 
ers, time of practice, eligi])ility list, and schedule. Let the ar- 
rangement with other teams always be between faculty man- 
agers and not students, and let these arrangements be made 
as far ahead as possible. Do not schedule more than six or 
eight games with other schools during a season. Encourage 
class games. In the cities there could be a series of games 
among the ward schools. 

Extra precaution must be taken against over-exertion, espe- 
cially by younger boys and by those who have been injured. 
No boy should be allowed in a football game who is not of high 
vitality and free from constitutional weakness, and in every 
case a player who has been injured should be compelled to leave 
the game. Strict insistence should be made upon scholastic 
standards on the part of high school players. Not only will 
this help the school studies, but it will help to keep down pro- 
fessionalism. 

SINGLE RELAY 

This race is suitable to teams having large numbers. Like 
any other relay race, there must be the same number in each 
team, and each contestant runs only once. Each team is in 
single file behind the starting line. The first runner dashes 



40 Bulletin of the University of Texas 

forward, touches a line fifteen yards in front, returns, and 
touches off the next runner, who runs as the first one did, and 
so on. The team whose last runner first crosses the finish line 
wins. 

SHUTTLE RELAY 

DiAdde each team into two equal numbers, facing each other 
15 yards apart. The first runner of one division runs across 
and touches off the first one in the second division, who runs 
back and touches off No. 2 in the first division, and so on. The 
team whose last runner first crosses the finish line wdns. 

POTATO SHUTTLE RELAY 

Line up as in shuttle relay, on lines 18 yards apart. On a 
Line straight from the center of each team and five yards from 
the line, place a basket containing four potatoes. The first 
runner must take these potatoes, one at a time, and place the 
first one two yards beyond the l)asket, the next two yards 
bej^ond that, and so on. He then runs on and touches off the 
first runner in the second division, who must replace the pota- 
toes, one at a time, in the basket, and touch off No. 2 in the 
■first division, who distributes the potatoes again, and so on. 
The last runner, after replacing the potatoes in the basket, 
^finishes in a dash across the line back of the basket. This re- 
quires that the number on a team be even, and not odd. 

ALL-UP RELAY 

Line .up as in single relay. Fifteen yards in front of each 
line are two 3-foot circles touching each other and parallel with 
the starting line. In one circle are three Indian. clul)s or similar 
objects, standing upright. The first runner of a team runs for- 
ward, moves the clubs from one circle to the other, using only 
one hand, and returns, touching off runner No. 2, who runs and 
moves the clubs back to the first circle, and so on. The clubs 
must be left upright each time. Otherwise, the runner must 
return and place them upright before touching off another run- 
ner. The last runner to move the clubs finishes in a dash over 
the line, and the one who finishes first, wins. 



Play and Athletics , 41 

PASS BALL RELAY 

Teams line. up in single file parallel with each other. The 
one in front, at the signal passes a basket ball over his head 
to the one behind, who passes it overhead to the next one, and 
so on. The last one in the line, on receiving the ball, runs 
around a fixed point in front and hands the ball to the one in 
the front of the line, and then takes position in front. The 
ball is passed back as before. When the one who was in front 
at first is in front again, fhe race is over. \ 

TUG-OF-WAR 

There may be a very large number on a side, '])ut it is usually 
best to limit the number to not more than twelve on a side. 
The rope should be either four-and-a-half or five inches in cir- 
cumference and made of manilla. There should be a clamp 
fixed at the middle, and the nearest contestant on either side 
should not be nearer than three feet of this clamp. There 
should be another clamp at the 3 -foot mark on either side of 
the middle, to indicate this point, but it must ])e in front of 
the front contestant's hand. There must be no knots or other 
obstructions on the rope, and contestants must not wrap the 
rope around their arms, legs, or bodies, nor may they wear 
gloves or shields on the hands. They may use adhesive sub- 
stances on the hands. No weights shall be worn except where 
teams are limited as to weight. If the required distance is not 
made by either side after five minutes, a rest of two minutes 
shall be allowed, and if after another five minutes' pull the dis- 
tance has not been made, the award shall l^e made to the team 
having made the farthest pull. 

VOLLEY BALL 

This game is becoming very popular, and rightly so. It is 
the best of exercise for students who have spent hours seated at 
desks with shoulders bent, or for other classes of people who 
get little exercise of the arms, chest, and back. It may be 
played on courts of every size, and by any number on a side. 
The standard court is 25 feet by 50 feet, mth a net 27 feet long 
and 7 feet 6 inches high at the middle, stretched across the 
middle of the court parallel with the ends, and attached to 




O 

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H 

o 



^ '6 



^ —I 

h6 



Play and Athletics 43 

posts 1 foot from the sides. Enlarge the court to suit large 
numbers of players. The ball is of rubber, from 25 inches to 
27 inches in circumference, and from 9 to 12 ounces in weight. 
It costs from $2.50 to $4.00. The server stands with one foot on 
the back line. He bats the ball with open hand over the net 
into any part of the other court. A server may have two trials 
if the ball hits the net and rolls over into the court. If it 
does not go into the other court he loses his serve. A server 
continues to serve until he is retired by his failure to serve 
properly or the failure of his side to return properly. If the 
other side fails to return properly, it counts one point for the 
server's side. Twenty-one points make a game. 

A service that would strike the net may be hit by another of 
the server's side and if it falls over the net in the other court 
it is a good service. 

To be returned, a ball must be hit by a player's open hand 
or hands before touching the ground, and knocked over the 
net with or without touching it, into the other court. You 
must not allow the ball to touch your body, and you must not 
touch the net with your arms or body. You must not hit the 
ball twice before another of your side has hit it, but after the 
ball has been hit by another of your side, you may hit it and 
knock it over. Players on a side take their turns in serving. 

A good player will cover a certain part of his court, and work 
with his team-mates. He will strike the ball with both hands, 
and pass to his team-mate at proper times. He will watch for 
uncovered spots in the other court, and try to put the baU 
there. 

END BALL 

This is a fine game for large numbers as a preparation for 
captain ball or basket-ball. It is especially good for girls. 

Use a basket-ball. The court is 30 feet square, but may be 
larger to suit the number of players. Divide court into two 
equal parts, and draw a line parallel with center line, and 3 
feet from each end line. In this end space put one-third of a 
team, and the other two-thirds on opposite side of center line. 
The ball is tossed up by official between two "guards" at the 
center. The one touching it first gets a free throw. The ob- 
ject is to throw the ball over the heads of opponents to one's 



44 Bulletin of the University of Texas 

end players in the end space. Every time a ball is caught by 
an end player, it counts one point. A game lasts twenty min- 
utes, divided into two ten-minute halves, with a three- or five- 
minute rest between. 

It is a foul to allow a ball to roll into opponent's territory, 
to push, pull, or otherwise play roughly. On a foul, the oppos- 
ing team gets a tree throw, and when ball rolls into opponent's 
territory, it counts one point for opponents. If ball goes out of 
bounds, the player on whose side it went out may return it to a 
team-mate on opposite side of court. 

BOUNDARY BALL 

Played with a Baslcetball 

Boundary ball is good training for basketball. It may be 
played by from six to fifty on a side. Divide the field into two 
equal parts. Place a team in parallel lines in each half of the 
field, the front line being 10 feet back of center line. 

One player stands on his front line and starts game by trying 
to throw ball so that it will fall to the ground beyond the op- 
ponents' rear ])oundary line. The opponents may move up and 
down field to prevent this or to catch the ball. "Where it is 
caught, that team lines up there and back of the spot where 
ball was caught, and the player tries to throw the ball back 
over the rear line of opponents. Each time ball falls over 
opponent's rear boundary line, it counts one point, and a game 
is five points. It is a foul to go into opponent's territory or 
beyond one's rear boundary line. On a foul, ball goes to op- 
ponents for a throw. 

CORNER BALL 

Played by a basketball, with from six to fifty on a side. Di- 
vide field into two equal parts, and in rear corners mark off 
goals 4 feet square. Players stand at even distances over field, 
one team on each side of center line, except that a goal man is 
in each goal at rear of opponent's field. The ball is started as 
in end ball, by a player at center. Each side tries to throw ball 
over opponents to the goal men. Each time such a ball is 
caught by a goal man, it is 1 point, and a game equals 21 points. 
When he catches the ball the goal man tries to throw it back to 



Play and Athletics 45 

his side for anotlier attempt, and the other side tries to inter- 
rupt the throw. It is a foul to step outside of one's goal or for 
another player to step into his opponent's goal. On a foul, 
the ball goes to the other side for a throw from the center. 

You must not run with the ball. Have team work. Do not 
throw too far, but pass to team-mates. Do not bunch up. 
Make your throws high and well aimed. 

PASS AND GOAL BALL 

This is a most excellent game, combining as it does the three 
features of speed, accuracy, and interest. Another advantage 
is that a large number may take part. 

Each team has a Imsketball and basketball goal. Each team 
lines up in single file back of its goal, with nearest man 6 feet 
from the goal, and the players at equal distances apart. The 
ball is passed from the player farthest from the goal to the next 
man, and so on until it reaches the one nearest the goal, who 
tries to throw the ball in the basket, and keeps trying till he 
succeeds. He then runs to the rear of the line, and passes the 
ball to the next man, vrho passes it to the next, and so on, each 
man having moved up one place. When the last player has 
made the goal and raced back to the rear of the line, the game 
is over, and the side which finished first, wins. 

CAPTAIN BALL 

This game is played with a basketball, and there may be 
from ten to sixteen players on a side. Have a 3-foot strip divid- 
ing ground into equal parts. On each side, in a semicircle, ar- 
range bases 2 feet in diameter, 6 feet apart, the nearest being 
at least 6 feet from the central strip, and a captain's base 
being inside each string of outer bases, at least 10 feet from 
them. A baseman stands in each outer base, with the cap- 
tain in the inside base. On the outside of each base is a guard 
of the opposing team. The referee tosses up the ball in the 
neutral strip between two guards. The first to catch it with 
both hands has the throw. The object is to pass the ball to 
one's basemen. Each time it is caught by a baseman after a 
throw from another of that team's basemen, except the cap- 
tain, it counts one point, and each foul counts one point for 



46 Bulletin of the University of Texas 

the other side. If the captain catches the ball after a catch by 
each baseman in succession, it counts two points, and it also 
counts two extra points when all the outer basemen have 
caught the ball in the same play. 

A catch by a captain from an outer baseman scores. 

A catch from the captain does not score. 

A second catch by the same baseman in the same play does 
not score. 

It is a foul (a) to take more than one step with ball; (b) to 
hold it longer than 3 seconds; (c) to touch it while held by 
an opponent; (d) to touch or trip an opponent; (e) for guards 
to step into neutral or opponent's territory; (f) for guards to 
step into a base; (g) for a baseman to step out of his base with 
both feet at a time. 

THREE DEEP 

Three deep is especially popular with the younger children, 
but it is also frequently played by high school pupils with much 
enthusiasm. Its fun-giving qualities are unlimited. From 
eight to thirty can play it at a time. Arrange the players, ex- 
cept two, in pairs and let them stand in a circle, one player 
of a pair behind the other, and all facing the center of the circle. 
One of the two extra players chases the other one. The latter 
can dodge in and out of the circle at will. If he stops in front 
of a pair of players facing the center of the circle, he cannot 
then be caught; but that makes "three deep," and the one of 
the three who is in the rear then becomes ''it" and must run or 
be caught. When caught, a player has to do the chasing, and 
the former chaser may take his stand in front of any pair, thus 
making "three deep," so that the rear player becomes "it" 
and must run. 

TENNIS 

The following advice on tennis was written by Dean John 
H. Keen of Southern Methodist University, one of the best 
known tennis players of Texas. It is printed here with his 
permission. 

The notion that tennis is a lady's game has passed.' Endur- 
ing wind and trained muscles are necessary to the modern 
game. Endurance must be the result of persistent effort on 



Play and Athletics 



47 



the part of the player, it cannot be taug'ht him by another. 
Skill, however, can be acquired much more rapidly, if a few 
suggestions as to practice are heeded by the coming tennis 
players of Texas. 

1. Adjust the net to the correct height. Measure center by 
standing one racket on end and placing another racket with 
bowl edgewise on the top of the standing racket. The top of 





JOSEPH AKIN, JR. HENRY AKIN. 

Wichita Falls High School, second honors in state tennis meet of 
the University Interscholastic League, 1915. 

the net ought to be even with the top edge of the upper racket. 

2. Make your court hard and smooth. A split-log drag is 
the best simple instrument for smoothing surface. Wet the 
court and roll it when you can. Make lines of lime instead of 
tape. Court length is 78 feet, width 36 feet, service court 21 
feet on each side of net, width of single court 27 feet. 

3. Service. Stand hehind the line of court. Both feet must 



48 Bulletin of the .University of Texas 

be at rest before the serve. One foot may be raised during act 
of serving, but no hop or jump or any forward motion by the 
feet is allowed until the racket touches the ball. One foot must 
always be still on the ground during the serve. It is very im- 
portant to observe this in practice, for in tournaments, the um- 
pire will call these service faults against the server, each fault 
constitutes a service fault. 

Raise the ball high over the head as possible and hit it as it 
comes down. Aim at the far side of the service court. It is 
much better to put a service out than into the net. Learn to get 
the first service in. 

4. Strokes. Accuracy should be the first aim of beginners. 
Speed will be added later. Place balls along the side lines or 
at the feet of the receiver. Always play the ball deep — toward 
back line. 

Both backhand and forehand strokes should be made with the 
sam^e face of the racket, shift your grip a little. Follow the 
ball through with your racket, don't push it. Use your back- 
hand stroke, don't run around the ball to take it on your fore- 
hand. The lob (high return) should be made as deep into the 
receiver's court as possible. 

5. Position. In singles, when serving, stand near the middle 
line. That enables you to cover the court more effectively. If 
you are playing back, stand behind the back court line ; if you 
play net, stand three feet inside the service court. 

In doubles, the whole aim is to win the net position. If your 
opponents are back, always rush the net — stand about three feet 
inside the service line. If your opponents have gotten to the 
net, stay back and lob them deep, endeavoring to drive them 
back so you can take the net. Most young players get too close 
to the net. It is an error to hit a ball before it comes over the 
net, or to run into or hit the net in any Avay. 

6. Rackets. P. A. Vaile, the tennis expert of America, says: 
''Cheap rackets are generally dear. Don't buy rubbish." A 
man should use a 14 oz. racket, a lady a 13 oz. racket. Don't 
use too heavy a racket; it makes for slow strokes. Buy a good 
racket and when the strings break you can have it restrung and 
it will be as good as new. Cheap rackets cannot well stand the 
strain of good strings. It will cost you only $2.50 to have your 



Flay and Athletics 4:9 

racket restrung with the best gut made, and you will be deprived 
of the use of your racket only one day plus transportation. 

CLASS AVERAGE CONTESTS 

Class average contests are for the purpose of getting the 
entire body of students to take part in games and athleticsv 
Since they reach those students who need attention most, such 
contests should receive every encouragement from the teacher. 

The groups may be on basis of school, grade, age, weight, or 
height. Where there is competition among several schools for 
the highest school average, it may not be necessary to make any 
division as to weight, class, etc., if the schools are anything like 
the same size and kind. 

At least 80 per cent of a group should be required to take part 
in each event selected. The average is found by adding the total 
number of points made in each event, dividing this by the 
number taking part or by 80 per cent of the group where less 
than 80 per cent take part, and then dividing the sum of aver- 
ages in the various events by the number of events. The result 
would be the all-round class or school average. 

There may be competition between classes in a school or be- 
tween different schools as to highest average made by any one 
class. For instance, there may be a contest between the sixth 
and seventh grades in a school for the highest average, giving a 
slight handicap in favor of the sixth grade, or in favor of all in 
either grade who are below a certain weight or height. There 
may be contests between all the high school grades on the same 
basis. Several schools may compete for the highest average made 
by some particular grade, or by a particular weight or height 
class. 

A plan for a county- wide contest in this most desirable form of 
athletics was first worked out by Mr. E. L. Allen and adopted by 
the schools of Westchester county, N. Y., in 1910. So successful 
did it prove and so obvious were its good points that county 
schools in various parts of the country have recently adopted it* 
A description of the plan mentioned may be had from the Y. M. 
C. A. Press, at 124 East Twenty-eighth Street, New York, for 10 
cents. 

The plan mentioned above is for boys only. Below is given 
a modified form of the plan, made simpler by reducing the five 
weight classes to three and containing a Girls' Division. 



50 ■ Bulletin of the University of Texas 

CLASS ATHLETICS FOR HIGHEST AVERAGE STANDING 

General Rules 

1. Eligibility. — Every boy weighing 60 pounds and every 
girl 9 years old or over is eligible, unless pronounced by teacber 
or physician to be physically unfit, or unless written objection is 
made by the jparent. 

2. Every eligible pupil competes in each event. 

3. The record in each event is found by dividing the total 
number of points made by all pupils in a class by the number 
taking part or by the number of eligibles. If the number of 
eligibles is less than 80 per cent of the class, divide by the number 
representing 80 per cent of the class. 

4. The records for all events, for a class, is found by divid- 
ing the sum of records in the various events, by the number of 
'events, or by four for boys and three for girls. The school record 
for Boys' or Girls' Division is found by dividing the sum of the 
records of the three classes of a division by three. The All- 
!^ound School Record is found by averaging the records of Boys ' 
and Girls' Divisions. 

5. For boys, there are three weight classes, as follows : 100-lb, 
class, or all weighing 60 lbs. and not over 100 lbs. 125-lb. class, 
or all weighing over 100 lbs. and not over 125 lbs. Unlimited 
class, or all weighing over 125 lbs. 

6. For girls, there are three classes according to age, as fol- 
lows : 12-year class, or all 9 years old and not 13. 14-year 
class, or all 13 years old and not 15. Unlimited class, or all 15 
and over. 

7. A boy is weighed on the day of the first event. He must 
be weighed by the teacher, and must be in his shirt sleeves and 
with shoes on. A girl's class is determined by her age on the 
day of the first event. 

8. There are four events for boys and three for girls. It 
would be well to hold the events in the order given in this bulle- 
tin. No two events for one division should be held nearer to- 
gether than two weeks. 

9. Each contestant scoring 50 points in each event will be 
placed in the Honor List as being up to the average all-round 
athletic standard, and each boy or girl who scores 100 points in 



Play and Athletics 



51 



each event will be placed in the 100-Point Class and should be 
presented with an appropriate badge. 

10. A complete record of each contestant should be pre- 
served, and his or her ranking with all the contestants of the 
school or county should be made. 

11. Championships. — (1) The weight- or age-class having 
highest ranking in a school is a Weight- or Age- Class Champion 
of the School. 

(2) The weight- or age-class having highest ranking of all 
schools in the same weight- or age-class will be Weight- or Age- 
Class Champion of the County for that weight- or age-class. 

(3) The weight- or age-class having highest ranking of all 
weight- or age-classes of all schools, will be AU-Round- Weight- or 
Age-Class Champion of the County. 

(4) • The school having highest ranking in Boys' or Girls' 
Division, of all schools in the county, will be School Champion 
of the County in that division. 

(5) The school having highest average ranking in both di- 
visions wdll be All-Round School Champion of the County. 

(6) The individual having highest standing in the school 
in his or her division will be Individual Champion of the School 
for that division. 

(7) The individual having highest standing in his class in 
the county will be individual champion of the county for that 
class. 

(8) The individual having highest standing in the county 
for all classes will be All-Eound Individual Champion of the 
County. 

boys' division 

Events and basis of scoring are given below f 







Honor 




100-lb. class- 


Points. 


Standard. 


100 Points 


Standing broad jump . . 


3 ft. 11 in. 


6 ft. 


8 ft. 1 in. 



80-yd. dash 14 sec. 12 sec. 10 sec. 

Chinning 3 times 7 times 11 times 

Baseball throw 100 ft. 150 ft. 200 ft. 



52 



Bulletin of the University of Texas 



125-lb. Class— Points 

Standing broad jump . . 4 ft. 8 in. 

100-yd. dash 15 3/5 sec. 

Chinning 4 times 

Running broad jump ... 8 ft. 6 in. 

Unlimited Class — 

Standing broad jump . . 5 ft. 5 in. 

100-yd. dash 14 sec. 

Running high jump .... 3 ft. 3% in. 

Putting 8-lb. shot 22 ft. 6 in. 



Honor 




Standard. 


100 Points 


6 ft. 6 in. 


8 ft. 10 in. 


13 3/5 sec. 


11 3/5 sec. 


8 times 


12 times 


12 ft. 8 in. 


16 ft. 10 in. 


7 ft. 6 in. 


9 ft. 7 in. 


12 sec. 


10 sec. 


4 ft. 4 in. 


5 ft. 41/2 in 


35 ft. 


47 ft. 6 in. 



Points shall be scored as follows: 

Dashes, for each 1/5 sec. better than minimum 5 pts. 

Standing broad jump, for each % in. better than minimum. 1 pt. 

•Chinning, for each time better than minimum 12% pts. 

Running broad jump, for each inch better than minimum . 1 pt. 
Running high jump, for each % in. better than minimum. 1 pt. 
Putting 8-lb. shot, for each 3 inches better than minimum. 1 pt. 
Baseball throw, for each foot better than minimum 1 pt. 

girls' division 
The events with basis of scoring are as follows : 



12- Yr. Class- 
Basketball throw 

Potato race 

Standing broad jump. 

14- Yr. Class- 
Basketball throw 

Potato race 

All-up Indian club race 

Unlimited Class — 

Basketball throw , 

All-up Indian club race 
Bean bag target toss. . 





Honor 




Points. 


Standard. 


100 Points. 


12 ft. 


22 ft. 


32 ft. 


26 sec. 


24 sec. 


22 sec. 


3 ft. 8 in. 


5 ft. 9 in. 


7 ft. 10 in 


22 ft. 


32 ft. 


42 ft. 


25 sec. 


23 sec. 


21 sec. 


32 sec. 


30 sec. 


28 sec. 



28 ft. 38 ft. 48 ft. 

30 3/5 sec. 28 3/5 sec. 26 3/5 sec. 
30 points in 65 points in 100 points in 
1% minutes, same time, same time. 



Play and Athletics 53 

Points shall be scored as follows: 

Potato race, for each 1/5 sec. better than minimum 5 pts. 

Potato racC; for each 1/5 sec. better than minimum 5 pts. 

All-up Indian club race, for each 1/5 sec. better than mini- 
mum 5 pts. 

Standing broad jump, for each % in. better than minimum 1 pt. 
Bean bag target toss, for each toss give points as per descrip- 
tion given below. Give no points for a score of not over 30 
in the time limit of 1% minutes. 

RULES GOVERNING THE EVENTS 

1. Basketball Throw. — A' girl must stand back of the throw- 
ing line and throw with one hand. She must not run before 
the throw. She must not step over the line in throwing; to do 
so is a trial without result. Three trials are allowed. 

(2) Potato Pace. — This must be run according to the rules 
for potato race on page 40 of this bulletin. 

3. All-up Indian Club Pace. — Two tangent circles, each 3 
feet in diameter, are 30 feet in front of starting line. In one 
circle are three 1-lb. model BS Indian clubs, upright. A girl 
runs from starting line, and transfers clubs to the other circle, 
using only one hand. She returns to the starting line, then 
makes two more trips, transferring clubs each time. The clubs 
must be left upright each time. She then finishes in a dash 
across the starting line. One trial allowed. 

4. Beam Bag Target Toss. — Draw on the ground three con- 
centric circles, with diameters of 2 feet, 4 feet, and 6 feet, 
respectively. A girl stands back of a line 10 feet from outer 
circle, and tosses a bean bag 6 inches square and containing 
%-lb. of beans. If the l3ag falls within the inner circle, it counts 
15 points ; if between the inner and middle circle, it counts 10 
points, and if between middle and outer circle it counts 5 
points. Only 1% minutes are allowed each contestant. After 
each throw a girl must run and pick up her bag and return to 
throwing line. Two trials are allowed. 

HOW TO PROCEED 

1. After enrolling your school for the contest, provide the 
necessary things, such as stop-watch, measuring tape, jumping 
pit, basketball, shot, etc. 



54 Bulletin of the University of Texas 

2. Make a short talk to the pupils, explaining the contests. 

3. Get prizes offered for the winning classes and individuals. 

4. Weigh the boys so as to give them an idea of what class 
they will be in. Classify the girls by age. 

5. Appoint leaders of the various classes. 

6. Hold preliminary contests to let the pupils know what 
they can do. 

7. Provide the following blanks, which will be supplied on 
request by the State director : 

(a) Individual Record Cards. 

(b) Record Card for each Boys' Division. 

(c) Record Card for each Girls' Division. 

8. On the day of the contest, weigh each boy and assign to 
proper class. 

9. Give list of eligibles in each class and list of those ex- 
cused. 

10. In holding the test, be verj^ careful to be as accurate as 
possible. Record each pupil's effort. 

11. Make out complete report of the test as per forms sup- 
plied, and send to the Secretary or Director promptly. 

OTHER EVENTS FOR CLASS-AVERAGE CONTESTS 

Where there are several grades or classes in the same school, 
or several wards in a city or town, competitive games may be 
used for class-average contests. Some such games, in which 
large numbers may take part, are : End ball, corner ball, all- 
up relay, pass ball relay, shuttle relay, potato shuttle relay, 
single relay, volley ball, tug-of-war, pass and goal ball. 

Sometimes, in order to stimulate interest, it is desirable to 
have a somewhat different method of finding the class standing 
than that described al)ove, where competitive games are used. 
For instance, in such contests as the relays mentioned above, 
it may be desirable to allow 10 points to the winning class in 
a dual contest, and require three games to be played by each 
class. If a class wins three games, its average standing is 30. 
If a class does not win a game, its class standing is zero. This 
method is simpler than others, but not quite satisfactory in de- 
termining the real amount of proficiency shown by each class. 

In volley ball, large classes may be divided and opposing sec- 



Play and Athletics 55 

tions in two classes paired oft' by lot, each side being entitled to 
all the points it makes, and the winner being given five addi- 
tional points. Basketball mav be used in the same way, as also 
end ball, corner ball, and captain ball. 



Mi 



VI 

THE ATHLETIC BADGE TEST 

To encourage the boys of ordinary or undeveloped physical 
powers to practice to attain greater all-round efficiency, the 
Playground and Recreation Association of America recently 
adopted a standard for three different stages of development, 
and offered a suitable badge to every boy in the United States 
who would qualify in one of these three classes. Below is 
given a similar plan, and any boy or girl may obtain one or 
more of the three badges upon qualifying for the same. Only 
one badge may be obtained by a pupil in any one year. 

Class A 
Chinning, 4 times. 

Standing broad jump, 5 feet 9 inches. 
Sixty-yard dash, 9 seconds. 

Class B 
Chinning, 6 times. 

Standing broad jump, 6 feet 6 inches. 
One-hundred-yard dash, 14 seconds. 

Class C 
Chinning, 9 times. 

Running high jump, 4 feet 4 inches. 
Two-hundred-twenty-yard run, 28 seconds. 

Provisions <is to the Badge Tests. — (1) To secure one of the 
badges, a boy must be in regular attendance at a school in the 
University Inter scholastic League. (2) He must qualify in all 
three events in a class. (3) The tests must be made under the 
direction of the teacher. (4) The teacher must certify to the 
University Director of Interscholastic Athletics that the ])oy 
has qualified for the badge applied for according to the require- 
ments. (5) For chinning, the rules governing that event found 
elsewhere in this Bulletin must be observed; so also in the 
broad and high jumps. Only one trial shall be allowed in 
■chinning, one in. the running events, and three in the jumps. 
(6) In the running events, a stop-watch must be used. (7) 
Only one badge may be obtained l)y the same boy in any one 
year. 



Flay and Athletics . 57 

The Badges. — On qualifying in any one of the three classes, a 
boy may secure from the Executive Committee of the University 
Interscholastic League a bronze badge with suitable inscrip- 
tion, by payment of 15 cents to cover the actual cost of making 
it. All the badges are of ])ronze, but of different design. They 
are inexpensive, but neat, and represent physical attainment, 
and not money value. Each school in which pupils win these 
badges will receive a certificate of the same, containing the 
names of such pupils, and this can be hung upon the school 
wall. 

ATHLETIC BADGE TEST FOR GIRLS 

The Executive Committee of the Interscholastic League also 
offers similar bronze badges to every girl in a school in the 
League, under the same general provisions stated for the Boy's 
Athletic Badge Test, except that the events, with the standard 
in each, are as follows : 

Class A 

Potato race, 42 seconds. 

All-up Indian club race, 30 seconds. 

Bean bag target toss, 100 points in 2 minutes. 

Class B 
Potato race, 39 seconds. 
Basketball throw, 36 feet. 
Balancing, with bean bag on head, 24 feet. 

Class C 

All-up Indian club race, 26 seconds. 

Bean bag target toss, 150 points, 2 minutes. 

Basketball throw, 42 feet. 

Special rules for the Girls' Athletic Badge Test are: 

(1) The rules governing the potato race, basketball throw, 
all-up Indian club race and bean bag target toss that are given 
under Class Athletics, Girls' Division, p. 52 of this Bulletin, 
shall also govern in this Badge Test. 

(2) A beam or piece of timber 2 feet wide and 12 feet long 
is used. A girl must, with bean bag on her head, start at the 
center, walk forward to the end, then without turning she must 
walk backward to the center ; then she must turn and walk for- 
ward to the end,' then turn and walk to the center. Only two 
trials are allowed. The bag must not be touched by the hand. 



YII 

ATHLETICS FOR GIELS 

Until recently, little attention was given to athletics for girls. 
But we recognize now the truth that girls' athletics are equally 
important with athletics for boys, although for somewhat dif- 
ferent reasons. A boy's athletics afford an outlet for his in- 
herited fighting instinct, and must be more or less violent and 
the rivalry keen. But for girls it is not the case. Great harm 
has been done to girls' athletics by making them merely an 
imitation of boys' athletics. For girls, no events should be 
included that call for violent effort or great endurance. Inter- 
class contests are preferable to inter-school contests. Team 
games are better than individual rivalry, and games in which 
large numbers can take part are most to be encouraged. Vol- 
ley ball is especially fine for the lower grades, but need not be 
confined to them. The shuttle relay, or single relay, when once 
introduced, will have a constant appeal and will enlist large 
numbers of pupils. Aside from the folk dances and singing 
games which should occupy a prominent part on the program, 
the following is suggested as a suitable list of events for a 
girls' athletic meet. By no means should anything like all 
of the events given be tried in the same meet. Local conditions 
must determine which ones should be selected. 

Fifth and Sixth Grades 

Thirty-yard and fifty-yard dash. 

Walking with hands suspended from horizontal ladder. 

Relay race (each girl running 30 yards). 

Shuttle relay. 

Potato relay. 

Seventh Grade 

Fifty-yard and sixty-yard dash. 

Volley ball. 

Potato race. 

Basketball throw. 

Walking with hands suspended from horizontal ladder. 



60 



Bulletin of the University of Texas 



Relay race (each running 30 yards). 

Basketball. 

Bean bag target toss. 

Potato shuttle relay. 

Eighth and Ninth Grades 
End ball. 
Volley ball. 
Pass ball relay. 
Pass and goal ball. 
Basketball throw. 
Basketball. 
Tennis. 

Tenth and Eleventh Grades 



Volley ball. 
Pass ball relay. 
All-up relay. 
Shuttle relay. 
Basketball throw. 
Corner l^all or end ball. 
Pass and goal ball. 
Captain ball. 
Tennis. 




A champion basket ball thrower of 

the Dallas Public School 

Athletic League. 



VIII 

CONDUCT OF AN ATHLETIC MEET 

Any athletic meet, whether large or small, should be con- 
ducted in an orderly manner. Otherwise, little will be accom- 
plished, and pupils will fail to get the lesson of discipline which 
is by no means the least lesson to be learned from athletic train- 
ing. 

(1) Organization. — The following committees for anything 
like a large meet will be found helpful: 

(a) Games Committee. — The central committee to look after 
the meet generally, secure officials, and hear reports from tbe 
other committees. 

(b) Publicity Committee. — To give announcements to the 
press, get out circulars, and keep the meet before the public in 
various ways. This committee may also act as an Invitation 
Committee. 

(c) \Finance Committee. — To sell tickets, keep the gate, take 
charge of money, and settle bills. 

(d) Ground Committee.— To see that the ground is properly 
laid ofP, and that the necessary equipment is provided. 

(2) Officials. — The necessary officials, together with their 
duties, are given in the Constitution and Rules of the University 
Interscholastic League. If you do not have a copy of this bul- 
letin, send for one. 

(3) Entries, Programs, etc. — The various committees must 
see that entry blanks are filled out, programs published, and 
contestants properly numbered. 

A COUNTY MEET 

(1) Let the county director call a meeting of the executive 
committee early in the school year, so that place and time of 
meet may be set, and steps taken to enlist a large number of 
schools in the meet. 

(2) Send to the schools of the county an announcement of 
the meet, with list of events, prizes, etc., and canvass the schools 
for entries. Be sure that all rules for the meet are duly an- 
nounced to all prospective contestants. 



62 Bulletin of the University of Texas 

(3) Require every school to send to the Director one week 
before the meet an entry blank showing the name of each con- 
testant and the events for which he enters. A copy of the entry 
blank for county meets of the University Interscholastic League 
is given on page 87 of this bulletin. 

(4) As the time approaches for the meet, the various com- 
mittees must set to work to see that the meet is well advertised, 
officials secured and checked, grounds prepared, etc. Every- 
thing depends upon having things ready. Keep after the var- 
ious schools and get all the entries in within the time limit, which 
should be one week in advance. Do not allow any entries, or 
changes in the same, after the time is up. To do so will lead to 
constant confusion. See that all the equipment necessary for 
running off the different events, such as tape measure, jumping 
standards, pit, etc., is looked after in advance. Some one person 
should be made responsible for the equipment. 

(5) After the entries are all in, have a committee to arrange 
them, drawing for heats, places, etc. Let all the drawing for 
places on the track ^nd for the order, of trials in field events 
be done in advance, and have the same published in the program 
if you have time for this. At any rate, place a copy of the 
arrangement in heats, etc., in the hands of each official. 

(6) Publish your program showing the exact time the meet 
will be called, order of events, names of officials, lists and 
numbers of contestants, with heats and places indicated. Call 
attention in the program to the importance of everyone being 
on hand when his event is called. 

, (7) See that proper provision is made for controlling the 
spectators, and do not permit them to crowd onto the field. 
Nothing will mar an athletic meet quicker or more completely 
than to allow spectators to interfere with the running of the 
different events. 

(8) Finally, see that each official is instructed as to his 
duties, and is on hand for his part in the meet. See that matters 
do not drag, but pull the events off on schedule time. If con- 
testants are not on hand for their respective events, go ahead 
without them. Do not try to hold a meet by having just one 
event at a time. Have separate sets of officials for the track 
events, the jumps and vaults, and the weights, and run them 
off simultaneously. 



LAYING OFF AN ATHLETIC FIELD 

(a) The Track. — If yon have the room, a qnarter-mile track 
is the most desirable length. Bnt a great many fields are too 
small for a qnarter-mile track. Probably the one most com- 
monly practicable is the track with six laps to the mile. To 
lay off snch a track, proceed as follows: 

On a line 322 feet 2 inches long, mark off A and B, 98 feet 
6 inches from each end. With these points as centersdescribe 
semicircles facing each other, with radins of 98 feet 6 inches. 
Draw tangents to these semicircles parallel with the original line. 
These tangents, with the semicircnmferences, form the track, bnt 
it is measured on a line 1 foot 6 inches outward from the cir- 
cumferences and tangents. A straightaway 100-yard track can 
be laid off diagonally across the field, or, better still, if you have 
room, let the 100-yard straightaway be along the side of the 
main track where the finish of other races are, only starting, of 
course, farther back. The 120-yard hurdle track should also 
be along this line, and should be straight throughout. There 
will be room for jumping pits, pole vault, 7 foot circle for shot 
put, hammer, etc., inside the track. But it is much better to 
have the hammer and discus throw entirely away from the main 
field, on the opposite side from the crowd. A baseball field can 
be laid by starting at one end of the longest line across the field, 
for the home base. Also a football field can be laid off length- 
wise the field. The best track is a mixture of good loam with 
cinders and a little clay. An all-cinder path is not good, as it 
gets too hard. The ideal path is one that does not get hard and 
dusty when dry, nor too soft when wet. 

(b) Jumping Pit. — The take-off board should be a joist 8 
inches wide flush with the ground, and the earth should be dug 
out 3 inches deep for 2 square feet in front of the take-off. The 
earth should also be loosened in front of the take-off to a distance 
of 24 feet. The run-way for the running jumps should not be 
too hard, but the earth should be firm enough to give speed. The 
run-way should be level. 

(c) Seven-foot Circle. — The circle for the hammer and dis- 
cus, if not off to one side, as suggested above, should be near the 




Diagram of Athletic Field. 



Play and Athletics 05 

middle of the field, the throwing being done in the opposite 
direction from the jumping and vaulting. 

• (d) Baseball Field. — If the same ground is used for a base- 
ball field that is used for track, let the line of home and second 
base be on the line running through center of field parallel with 
the tangent as described above. Place the home base 34 feet 10 
and % inches inside the field on this line. At the point where 
track begins to curve, draw a perpendicular to the straight part 
of track, and 34 feet 10 and % inches inside track on this line, 
place first base. On the same line, 34 feet 10 and % inches from 
opposite side, place third base. From first and third bases draw 
perpendiculars to the lines going from those bases to home base. 
These will meet at second base. 

(e) Football Field. — The same ground may be used for foot- 
ball that is used for other events. It may be laid off somewhat 
diagonally across the track, so as to get the longest distance. 
After drawing the longest diagonal of the track, measure off on 
it 360 feet. Draw a parallel to this line on each side 80 feet 
from it. The resulting rectangle is the field of play. Thirty feet 
inside each end line, draw a parallel with it. These are the goal 
lines. The goal posts are on the goal lines, 18 feet 6 inches apart. 

(f) Basket-ball, Volley Ball, etc. — These may be laid off in 
the opposite corner of the field from the jumping pit, etc., as. 
stated above. The dimensions of a basketball court may vary a 
little, but are usually 50 by 70 feet. A court should not exceed 
4000 square feet. Volley ball courts vary in size to suit the 
number of players, TDut the standard court is 25 by 50 feet. The 
details about dimensions, etc., may be found in the 10-cent vol- 
umes on the various games, published by the American Sports 
Publishing Company, New York. 

EQUIPMENT FOR ATHLETIC MEETS 

(1) General. — To conduct an athletic meet properly, you 
should have, besides a well laid off ground, the following: Sev- 
eral good measuring tapes, plenty of lime for marking stakes, 
hammer, saw, etc., one or more balls of twine, stop-watches, 
starter's pistol, entry blanks, score cards, programs, flags, relay 
sticks, competitors' numbers, and megaphone. 

(2) Running. — All straightaway races should be run in lanes, 



66 Bulletin of the University of Texas 

one for each runner, the lanes being marked off with lime or 
whitewash or with stakes. For the hurdle races, use ten hurdles 
for each runner, each being 30 inches high. The hurdles can be 
very easily made by the students, out of light strips of pine, using 
two short strips at the bottom of the frame for it to rest on. 

(3) Jumping. — For the broad jump, have a board 8 inches 
wide and 3 feet long sunk flush with the earth for the take-off 
board. Fasten the board in the ground with bolts at least 2 feet 
long. In the high jump, make two uprights as follows: Two 
spruce or pine poles 2 inches by 2 inches by eight feet long. Use 
for base of each upright two strips 22 inches by 4 inches by 2 
inches. Use ordinary shelf brackets to brace the uprights on the 
bases. Bore holes through the uprights 1 inch apart, beginning 
18 inches above the ground. About 4 feet from ground the holes 
should be every quarter inch. Run a fish cord through the holes, 
and attach two shot bags for weights. Be sure that cord does 
not sag in the middle. It is always best at important meets to 
use a stick for cross-bar instead of a cord, and the stick should 
always be replaced with the same side up. If stick is used, let 
it rest on small pegs, which should point in the direction of the 
jump, and reach not over 3 inches from the uprights. 

(4) Pole Vault. — Uprights for vaulting may be made similar 
to those for jumping. In fact, the same ones may be used, pro- 
vided they are high enough. The pole should be 12 or 14 feet 
long, and the best material is spruce. Each contestant ought to 
iave his own pole. 

(5) Weight Events. — A 7-foot circle may be made from old 
"wagon tires. The toe board is easily made, and consists of a 
piece of wood four feet long and curving with the circle, and 4 
inches high. As in the case of take-off board, it should be firmly 
fastened to the ground with long rods driven down at least 2 
feet. 

A shot, hammer, discus, etc., should be furnished by the man- 
agement of the meet. But a contestant may use his own ma- 
terials if they are correct in weight, size, etc. 

A FEW DEFINITIONS 

(1) Amateur a/)id Professional. — Briefly, an amateur is one 



Play and Athletics 67 

who takes part in athletic contests for the love of them, or for 
the benefit, physically, or otherwise, to be derived. 

A professional is one who competes in athletics for a living. 

In order to protect and encourage amateur sport, the Amateur 
Athletic Union and similar organizations have drawn very strict 
lines between an amateur and a professional, and as a rule those 
who enter contests under the direction of amateur organizations 
are forbidden to compete with professionals. An amateur be- 
comes a professional when he competes for money or other valu- 
able consideration, when he becomes connected with a profes- 
sional club, or when he Competes with or against professionals. 
The detailed rules on this point are found on pages 98 and 99 
of No. 12A of the Spalding Athletic Library. 

(2) Novice. — A novice is one who has never won a prize of 
any kind in an athletic contest. 

(3) Handicap and Scratch, — A scratch race or contest is one 
in which all contestants have the same chance. In a scratch race, 
all start from the same line and at the same time. A handicap 
is an allowance in time or distance in favor of one or more of the 
contestants. Very often it is desirable to have handicap events. 
A meet among the students of the same school or town where 
there is great difference as to ability may be made extremely at- 
tractive and interesting by having handicap events. For in- 
stance, suppose in a 100-yard dash there are five boys, arid at 
the time the winner crosses the line No. 2 is two yards behind 
him, Nos. 3 and 5 and are each 1 yard behind No. 2, and No. 5 
is six yards behind Nos. 3 and 4. Then handicap them as fol- 
lows : Set No. 5 on the line. Set Nos. 3 and 4 six yards back. 
No. 2 seven yards back, and No. 1 nine yards back. That gives 
all an equal chance to finish first. 



IX. 

PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT 

By C. C. Foster, 
Principal of Alexander Hogg High School, Fort Worth, Texas. 

The first essential of playground equipment is a play leader. 
Without the latter, the most elaborate appliances will be a waste 
of money and effort in obtaining them. Every teacher can, to 
a limited extent, become a play leader, granted that there is an 
abiding love for the free, joyous expression of children's lives 
in play. 

The improvement of the playground should be carefully 





Outdoor exercise at Mooreville Rural School, Falls county, by means of 
a giant stride made by the pupils and their teacher, R. H. Moodie. 

planned before any work is done on it. Any change in the loca- 
tion of appratus after it has been erected will be wasteful and 
expensive, and any change in the distribution of pupils will 
require a change of apparatus. 

The plan is important in every detail, from the grading and 
surfacing of the ground and the distribution of the children to 
the erection of the last piece of apparatus and the planting of 
trees and flowers. 



Play and Athletics 69 

■ The ground should be graded so that it will drain without 
washing away the surface. If the slope and extent of the ground 
make a terrace necessary it should be sodded with squares of 
living grass to prevent the wearing away of the terrace. Level 
ground is very necessary for any kind of game, or apparatus. 
A grade of five inches to the one hundred feet has been found 
satisfactory. If the surface is properly constructed it will be 
easily kept in good condition with this grade. The best surface 
is probably the clay and sand combination. Put on pure clay 
two inches deep after the ground has been graded and well rolled 
with a heavy roller, a steam roller if possible. After the clay has 
been leveled with a rake and powdered as much as possible, apply 
a coating of sharp sand — the sand specified in all concrete work. 
Roll again and sprinkle on more sand. Then sprinkle with water 
until the clay is moistened and allow to remain till next day. 
Sand the surface if any clay shows and roll thoroughly. It will 
be necessary to put a little sand on in low places occasionally, 
but there will never be any stones to come through. A ground 
of this kind is suitable for games, drills, dances, and evening 
entertainments. 

If the children are kept off of it during extremely wet weather 
it will dry quickly and there will be no mud and dirt to track in. 
^Furthermore, the saving in shoe leather will pay for the surf ace- 
ing in a year or two. 

The distribution of the children should be made according to 
-age and sex, and space provided for their several occupations. 
This is not only to protect the weak from the strong, the younger 
from the older, but because their interests and activities vary 
according to certain well known principles of child development. 
There are stages of development of the play instinct analogous 
to the stages of mental development of the child. The very 
young child is content to play alone with his toys. Later he 
craves society, as the social instinct begins to develop, and likes 
to play in groups, but not in a team. At eleven or twelve the 
team spirit begins to develop, — the' gang spirit and the gang- 
leader. This is fundamental and most important. Here, on the 
playground, in their games, leadership and co-operation are 
learned and developed, most important functions of citizenship. 
'Therefore ample space and equipment for games involving team 



70 Bulletin of the University of Texas 

work should be provided for all the pupils over ten or eleven 
years of age. Football and baseball require too much space to 
be considered. Basket ball, volley ball, and playground ball are 
very popular with both sexes at all times of the year wherever 
they have been tried. The minimum space for basketball or 
volley ball is about fifty by thirty feet, and for playground ball 
or indoor ball fifty by one hundred feet. Spaulding supplies the 
rules for these games. 

Therefore the plan for the playground should contemplate a 
space for small children, equipped with suitable apparatus, and 
separate spaces for the larger boys and girls, properly divided 
off for as many team games as possible and equipped with some 
apparatus. For the primary pupils the apparatus is of first im- 
portance; for the larger pupils the game equipment should be 
provided first and apparatus supplied as funds permit. 

The selection of apparatus and its location on the ground 
should be carefully planned before any work is done. For small 
children use the swings, slides, giant strides, see-saws, sand- 
boxes. It has been found that these children seldom use the 
horizontal bar if these other things are provided. For the 
larger pupils the boys like the traveling rings, slides, horizontal 
bars, vaulting bar, parallel bars, and horizontal ladder ; and the 
girls prefer the swings and horizontal ladder. All ages and 
sexes like the giant stride. Boys like the trapeze and trapeze 
rings but they are very dangerous and should never be put up. 
The large group swing has no place on the playground because 
it encourages inactivity and laziness. 

Directions for construction and cost of materials for any of 
the apparatus mentioned above will be found on the following 
pages. 

EQUIPPING A PLAYGROUND AT LEAST COST 

The exorbitant cost of manufactured playground apparatus 
places it beyond the reach of most schools. Recently, however, 
a number of practical teachers have solved this problem of cost 
by the construction of home-made appliances. Home-made ap- 
paratus has the advantage of cheapness, but it often lacks that 
other essential, durability. The problem of supplying really 
serviceable and durable apparatus at the lowest possible cost has 
been worked out satisfactorily and the descriptions and pictures 



Flay and Athletics 71 

in this bulletin are intended to assist the teachers of Texas in 
equipping their playgrounds with home-made apparatus. The 
actual cost of each piece described was from one-third to one- 
fifth the cost of the manufactured article. The exact cost will 
vary slightly with the varying prices of the material in different 
localities, but the local dealers can furnish you with this cost 
if you will take the bill of goods for the different pieces given 
below. Boys from 12 to 16 years of age in any school can make 
any of the appliances if properly directed by their teachers. 

TOOLS NEEDED 

The tools used in the construction of the apparatus were as 
follows : 

Pipe vice large enough for 2% i^- pipe. 

Pipe cutters large enough for 2 in. pipe. 

Hack saw. 

Set of stock and dies for threading pipe from 1% in. to 2 in. 

Two 36-in. Stilson wrenches; one 18-in. wrench, one 10-in. 
wrench. (These were rented.) 

Blacksmith's post drill with i^-in. and 1-in. bits. 

Set of dies for threading i/2-in. bolts. 

Spirit level. 

Emory wheel. 

Hammers, saw, brace and bits. 

Post-hole diggers, spades, and shovels. 

(Some machine shops charge 10 cents for each cut, 10 cents 
for each thread, and 10 cents for each hole drilled. Others charge 
75 cents per hour for each workman employed on job.) 

generaij suggestions 

All pipes and pipe fittings used in the following apparatus 
are galvanized, except flange unions and bolts and parts of the 
giant stride. Any iron not galvanized is painted with a coat of 
radiator bronze to prevent rust. All bolts should be bradded 
to prevent loss of taps and consequent injury to apparatus. All 
apparatus should be inspected daily and weak places repaired 
when necessary. This may prevent accidents. 

In all the eoncrete work the proportions are 3 sacks of cement 
to a cubic yard of gravel. Mix gravel and cement thoroughly 



72 Bulletin of the University of Texas 

before wetting and after pouring into holes allow 24 hours to 
harden. 

It is well to have sand 3 or 4 inches deep under all the ap- 
paratus. 

THE SLIDE. 

The slide (Fig. 1) consists of a 12 ft. vertical ladder, from 
the top of which two 20 ft. pipes, 12 in. apart, extend towards 
the ground at an angle of about 50°. The lower ends of these 
pipes are fastened by half-ells to two 4 ft. pipes which are set 
in 2 ft. of concrete. The ladder is also set in 2 ft. of concrete, 
leaving 12 ft. clear above ground. 

The slide is of 1% i^- pipe> sides of ladder of 2 in. pipe, pipe 
across top of ladder 2 ins. by 18 ins. and connected to ladder by 
2 in. ells. This pipe has two %-in. holes drilled through it 14 
in. apart through which the bolts pass which are to hold the 
slide, as shown in figure 2. Two iy2-m. caps are prepared for 
the taps of the pipes for the slide by drilling a i/2-in. hole in the 
'Center of each, filling the hole square, into which a carriage bolt 
%-in. by 3-in. fits. (See fig. 2.) The caps are ready to bolt to 
the cross pipe. The pipes for the slide are screwed into the caps 
;after the ladder has been set up in the holes and then the 4-ft. 
pipes for the bottom of the slide are dropped into place in holes 
2 ft. deep and are then screwed into the 45 degree ells at the 
bottom of the slide. 

The ladder is 14 ft. long, 12 ft. above ground and 2 ft. in 
concrete. There are 7 rounds, 1 ft. apart, beginning 2 ft. above 
ground. Rounds are of %-in. pipe, 20 in. long, tapered at the 
ends to fit into 1-in. holes. The sides of the ladder are drilled 
with 1-in. holes to let in the rounds, and into the holes for the 
top, the middle and the bottom rounds a %-in. drill is inserted 
and holes made for machine bolts, %-in. by 22-in., which pass 
through the rounds and the sides of the ladder and hold it to- 
gether. If these bolts are not easily obtained they may be made 
of y^-in. iron rods, threading both ends for taps. 

If this piece of apparatus is not attached to others it will 
need braces on each side of the ladder. These are made of %-in. 
pipe, flattened at the top for 6 inches, bolted to the sides of the 
ladder 8 ft. 6 in. above the ground, and set in concrete 6 ft. 
from the bottom of the ladder. 



74 



Bulletin of the University of Texas 



However, it is more economical to construct tlie slide in con- 
nection with, swings as shown in fig. 3. Here the ladder takes 
the place of a post supporting the swings, and tlie slide acts as 
a brace for the swings, and the swings brace the slide. Where 
connected to swings the ladd-er is fastened at the top to the 2i^- 
in. pipe used for support of swings, instead of to the 2-in. cross- 
pipes. 

The holes for the rounds of the ladder must be drilled exactly 
in line. For this reason it is advisable to have this part of the 
work done by the people who sell the pipe. 




^OMETIZIC SECTION OF 5LIDf: AHD OWINGO 



Fig. 3. 




DerA\V- 5H0W1MG 
coHHtcTion. o^ Pipe- 
WITH Up-eiomt2> 



Fig. 4. 



THE SWINGS 



A 21/2-in. flange union (see fig. 4) is screwed to the end of 
each post, 21/2-in. by 14-ft., and the posts are set in holes 2 ft. 
deep and concrete poured in, pipes being plumb and the tops 



Play and Athletics 75 

being exactly in horizontal line. Braces of ?4-in. pipe, flattened 
at the top, are bolted to the posts 8 ft. above ground and set in 

2 ft. of concrete, about 6 ft. from the bottom of the post. (See 
fig. 3.) The posts are placed in line at intervals of 10 ft. After 
the concrete has had 24 hours to harden, the pipe for supporting 
the swing is placed on top of the posts and bolted to flange 
union as in fig. 4. This pipe is 2% in. by 20 ft. 6 in., with 
%-in. holes drilled through it in line at intervals, as follows : 15 
in., 18 in., 15 in., 18 in., 15 in., 18 in., 36 in., 18 in., 15 in., 18 in., 
Ej^e-bolts, 1/2 -in. by 4-in., are put through the holes and 
bolted. Chains for swings are fastened to these by lap links. 
Seats are made of pine boards, 1-in. by 4-in. by 18-in., holes 
being bored 2 in. from ends for chains. Porch swing chains 
are used. Well chains or open link chains will not stand the 
strain; the links spread and chains come apart or break. If 
porch chains are not obtainable, a heavier chain with welded 
links may be used. 

Pipes come in random lengths of 19 ft. to 22 ft. Specify a 
minimum length of 20 ft. and maximum length of 21 ft., and 
if it comes less than the 20 ft. 6 in. make the first hole less than 
15 in. from the end, deducting from 15 one-half the difference 
between the length of the pipe and 20 ft. 6 in. 

The swings and slides make a good combination as shown in 
fig. 2. The material for two slides and 12 swings costs from 
$40.00 to $50.00. 

GIANT STRIDE 

The Dutch swing or giant stride consists essentially of a 
strong post securely planted in the earth and fitted at the top 
with a revolving device to which ropes may be attached. 

The post A, fig. 5, is of 4-in. pipe 15 ft. long, imbedded in 

3 ft. of concrete. The hole for the concrete is jugged out at the 
bottom to a diameter of 3 ft. with only a small opening at the 
top. 

After pouring concrete in around post, plumb the post with 
a spirit level and allow it 24 hours to harden. 

The device set in the top of the post is made from a part of 
the spindle (C, fig. 5) and hub T of a castaway buggy. Black- 
smiths usually charge 25 cents for the old hub and the spindle 
cut off about 18 inches from the shoulder. Have, the smith cut 



76 



Bulletin of the University of Texas 



out an iron disc (B, fig. 5) % in. thick, 5 in. in diameter, with 
a hole in the center into which the spindle drops to the shoulder. 
With a cold chisel notch out 4 shoulders on the lower side of 
the disc to hold it in center of pipe. From the tinner get 
another disc, J, for the lower end of the spindle. Have this 
made of heavy sheet metal. Cut it 3% in. in diameter with a 
square hole in center to fit the spindle, and after putting it on 



P£--R5PfrCTIV£- VlErW 
or- 




CR055-5£-CTI0n 
Of- 



Fig. 5. Fig. 6. 

notch out the spindle with a cold chisel (see K, and fig. 5) 
to hold the disc in place, or have the tinner solder it on. This 
holds spindle in center of pipe. Place this in the top of post. 
A ball-bearing washer, F, is then dropped down over spindle, 
then balls, then another washer F, and then another disc, G. 
This disc G is not necessary if the hub fits over the ball bearings 
properly. 

The hub, T, is prepared by removing the old spokes and 



Play and Athletics 77 

putting a disc I in their place, drawing together the sides of 
the hub plates with bolts, H. This disc I is i^ in. thick, 10 in. 
in diamater, with a hole in the center sufficiently large to allow 
the disc to fit over the hub. The bolts, H, hold the disc and the 
hub together. 

Four hooks, L, made by the blacksmith out of half -inch rods, 
are bolted to disc and ropes are attached by means of 2-in. 
rings. After tying the rope to the ring wrap tightly with wire 
as shown in cut. The ropes should extend to within 3 ft. of the 
ground and should be of %-in. or %-in. rope. They may be 
removed when the apparatus is not to be used. 

Several of these giant strides have been put up in Fort Worth 
at a cost of approximately $10.00, including post, blacksmith 
work, and all materials. The ball bearings may be ordered from 
Flint and Walling Windmill Co., Fort Worth, Texas, if local 
dealers cannot supply them. Specify 2 washers and a race of 
4 balls, center hole in ball race and washers being 1% in. to 2 in. 
in diameter, according to the size of your buggy spindle. 

Where a giant stride is found it is by far the most popular 
piece of apparatus on the playground. 

HORIZONTAL. LADDER 

The materials for the horizontal ladder shown in figure 7 
cost $10.00. The ladder is 7 ft. high and 14 ft. long. The sides 
are of 2 in. pipe, the rounds of % in. pipe. The rounds are 16 
in. long, tapered at the ends on an emory wheel so as to fit tight 
in 1-in. holes. Half-inch rods running through the rounds at 
each end of the ladder and in the center hold the parts together. 
Also, one round is bolted 2 ft. from the ground at each end. 

HORIZONTAL BARS 

The horizontal bars are among the most important of play- 
ground appliances for the large boys. The cost need not be more 
than $4.00 at the outside for one bar, and is about half that for 
each succeeding bar in a set. 

Construction. — For uprights, use 2-in. pipes, and for bars 
use 1%-iii. pipe. Place uprights 5 ft. apart, and bars 7 ft. from 
the ground. Insert uprights in holes 2 ft. deep, fix them plumb 
and fix the bars level. Pour concrete in the holes and allow 24 
hours in which to harden. 



78 



Bulletin of the University of Texas 



VAULTING BAR 

The uprights, A, of the adjustable bar, F, sho^vn in fig. 8 
are of 2-in. galvanized iron, 16 ft. long, imbedded 2 ft. deep 
in concrete, and connected at the top by a 2-in. pipe. Half-inch 
holes are drilled 2 in. apart, beginning 30 in. from the ground, 
and continuing to 7 ft. The bar, F, is of li/4-in. pipe, with a 



- 


i4'-o' 






'<^y'^yy'^^^^^^^ '^ 




,''" 

^ 


s 






Vs. 


.- 


.-' 


—• 


^' 



'IsOMETPI^c YlEW' 

Horizontal- LaddeR' 



7-P 



»^" 



v!&)METi?i<:- View* 

PARALLEL BARS 



7 

LI 



•l6r)METj?iC' View* 




^ 



^ 



Fig. 7. Fig. 8. Fig. 9. 

21/2-in. tee, G, at each end. A half-inch hole is drilled through 
each tee for the bolt, which passes through the tee and the up- 
right, holding the bar at any desired position. The braces, H, 
are of %-in. pipe, flattened at the top, I, bolted to the upright 
10 ft. from the ground, and the bottom imbedded in 2 ft. of 
concrete. There are no braces on the right upright shown in the 
picture, it being connected at the top to the large athletic frame 
(fig. 10) at D by means of a 2-in. by 2y2-in. bushing. 



Play and Athletics 79 

PARALLEL BARS 

The uprights for the parallel bars are of 2-in. pipe and the 
bars of iy2-m. pipe. The uprights are set in concrete 2 ft. 
deep and extend 4 ft. above ground. They are connected to 
the bars by means of ells. The bars are 7 ft. long and the dis- 
tance between them is 14 inches. 

TRAVELING RINGS 

The support for the traveling rings (see fig. 10) is a 2i/2-in. 
pipe 25 ft. long, 14 ft. above ground, and horizontal, %-in. holes 
are drilled through this pipe at intervals of 6 ft. A %-in. iron 
bar, shaped into an eye-bolt, is driven through the hole arid 
bolted at the top. (See fig. 10.) From this hook is suspended 
a ring 2 in. in diameter, to which a chain 6 ft. long is attached 
by means of a lap link. Another lap link at the bottom of the 
chain attaches it to a 4-in. link, through which the large ring 
passes. This large ring is made of iron rod 1 in. in diameter. 
The inside diameter of the ring is 8 in. The hooks and rings 
g^re made by a local blacksmith. The chain is found at the 
hardware store. It is galvanized. If the ring is in constant use 
or is taken indoors at night, paint is unnecessary. 

Radiator bronze will protect the bolts and small connecting 
rings from rust and make them conform in appearance to the 
galvanized pipe of the frame. 

Trapeze rings should not be put up because they are danger- 
ous. Pupils should not be allowed to climb up on ladder arid 
catch ring, swinging out from the ladder, because this practice 
is dangerous. The rings should be locked when supervisor is 
not present to prevent misuse. Pass a chain through two or three 
tof the rings and draw them to a ladder or post and lock the 
ends of the chain. 

THE ATHLETIC FRAME 

(Figure 10.) 

The athletic frame is for supporting flying rings, climbing 
ropes, and slides. It is 14 ft. high, 20 ft. wide at the top, and 
25 ft. long, not including the four slides which extend 16 ft. 
further at each end. 



Play and Athletics 81 

The ladders for slides are made as directed for fig. 3, except 
they extend 14 ft. above the ground. Two ladders for one end 
are set up with the outside posts 12 ft. apart. At a distance of 
24 ft. the ladders for the other end are set up. In line with 
the outside posts of the two ladders of opposite ends a 2i/'2-in. 
post is set up, being 12 ft. from each ladder. Similarly another 
post is set up in line with the ladders of the other side. These 
posts are 12 ft. apart, outside measurement. To the tops of the 
ladders and posts are screwed flange unions, as shown in fig. 4. 
All of these must be exactly in a horizontal plane, the spirit 
level applied to a straight edge placed on top of the flange unions. 

After this part of the frame has been set up and concrete 
poured in, it should not be shaken or handled in any way for 24 
hours, giving concrete time to harden. Cross pipes 20 ft. long 
are then bolted on top to the flange unions (fig. 4). Jn the 
center and at each end of these cross pipes 2 half-inch holes 
are bored, 4 inches apart on centers. The 25 ft. pipes (supports 
for traveling rings described above) are then bolted to these 
cross pipes by means of U-shaped bolts, made of %-in. rods, 
which pass through the holes in the cross pipes. 

These cross pipes are also drilled with i/2-in. holes for attach- 
ing the slides, as described above and shown in fig. 2. These 
holes are at an angle of 45° to the holes for the U-shaped bolts. 
The first hole for slide is 4 ft. 6 in. from the end of pipe and 
the second is 15 in. on centers from the first. 

A climbing rope may be substituted for a ring at any corner 
of the frame. The rope should be 1 in. in diameter or larger and 
should be attached by means of a hook instead of an eye-bolt, 
so that it may be kept out of the weather when not in use. 

MATERIALS NEEDED 

The materials needed for the apparatus shown in the photo- 
graphs are as follows: 

Horizontal Bars, Bill of Material 

For the first bar 7 ft. high : 

2 pipes, 2 in. X 9 ft. ; 1 pipe, 1% in. x 5 ft. ; 2 tees, 2 in. x 

1% in. 

For each additional bar 7 ft. high : 

1 pipe, 2 in. X 9 ft.; 1 pipe, VA in. x 5 ft. ; 1 tee, 2 in. x 
1% in. 

1 yd. gravel and 3 sacks cement for 12 post holes. 



^2 Bulletin of the University of Texas 

Machine Shop Work 
For first bar : 

2 cuts and 2 threads 2 in. pipe. 
1 cut and 2 threads lYi in. pipe. 
For each additional bar : 

1 cut and 1 thread 2 in. pipe. 

2 cuts and 2 threads 1% pipe. 

The Slide, Bill of Material 

Ladder : 2 pipes, 2 in. x 16 ft. or 14 ft. if for small children. 
7 pipes, % in. x 20 in. 

3 bolts, % in. x f machine bolts) 24 in. 
Slide : 2 bolts, 1/2 in. x 5 in. 

"2 caps for 1% in pipe. 

2 h'alf ells (45 degree ells) 1% in. 

.2 pipes, IVo in., x 20 ft. 

:2 pipes, 1% in. x 4 ft. 

Machine Shop Work 

'2 cuts and 2 threads, 2 in. pipe. 

7 cuts and 1 thread, % in. pipe, and tapering same to 1 in. 
outside diam. 

4 cuts and 4 threads, II/2 in. pipe. 

14 holes, 1 in. diam ; 2 holes % in. diam. 

Horizontal Ladder, Bill of 3Iaterial 

2 pipes, 2 in. x 14 in. 
4 pipes, 2 in. X 9 ft. 

15 pipes, % in. x 20 in. 

4 ells, 2 in. — 2 in. 

5 bolts, 1/2 in. X 24 in. 

% sack cement ; 1/5 yard gravel. 

Machine Shop Work 

6 cuts, 8 threads, 2 in. pipe. 
30 1-in. holes, 10 Vo-in. holes. 
15 cuts, % in. pipe. 

30 ends %-in. pipe tapered to 1 inch outside diam. (% in. is 
inside diam.) 



Flay and Athletics 83 

Giant Stride, Bill of Material 

1 pipe, 4 in. X 15 ft. with coupling attached. 

1 buggy spindle with 2 ft. of axle, and hub to match. 

1 plate (sheet iron) 1/4 in. thick, 10 in. in diam., with hole in 
center to fit hub and 4 i/2-in. holes for hooks. 

4 hooks of %-iii- ii'031 with shanks 2 in. long (threaded for 
taps) with taps. 

4 rings 2 in. in diam. 

4 ropes, % in. in diam., 14 ft. long. 

% yd. gravel and % sack cement. 

1 set ball bearings. 

Tra/veling Rings, Bill of Material 

A support of 21/) in. pipe, 25 ft. long, 14 ft. high (see Fig. 10). 

15 eyebolts % in. iron with shanks 5 in. long (threaded for 
taps) with taps. 

15 rings 2 in. in diam. 

30 lap links, 1% in. 

15 chains 6 ft. long. 

15 rings of 1-in, iron, 8 in. in diam., with 4-in. link of 3/16-in. 
iron in each. 

Vaulting Bar, Bill of Material. 

2 pipes, 2 in. x. 14 ft. 
1 pipe, 2 in. X 5 ft. 

1 pipe, 1% X 5 ft. 

4 pipes, % in. x 12 ft. 

2 ells, 2 in. 

2 tees, 21/2 in. x 1% in. 

4 bolts, % in. x 3 in. ; 2 bolts, 6 in. x % in. 
1/2 sack cement ; i/4 yard gravel. 

Machine Shop Work 

3 cuts. 4 threads, 2 in. pipe. 

8 cuts, 2 threads, 1% in pipe. 

4 cuts, 4 threads, % in. pipe. 
52 i/o-in. holes. 

4 %-in. holes. 



84 Bulletin of the University of Texas 

AtJiletic Frame, Bill of Material 

4 slides (see bill of material above). 
3 pipes, 21/2 in. x 20 ft. 
3 pipes, 2% in. x 25 ft. 
3 pairs flanges, 2% in. 

10 ^'2-in. rods, 23 in. long, with taps (rods threaded for taps). 
9 %-in rods, 30 in. lon^, with taps (rods threaded for taps). 
Unless slides are attached braces will be needed. 
For braces, 4 pipes, 2 in. x 16 ft. flattened at one end, for 
bolts. 

8 bolts, 1/2 in. x 5 in. 

Machine Shop Work 

3 cuts and 1 thread, 2I/2 in. pipe. 

26 %-in. holes in 2% in. pipe. 

15 %-in. holes in 2 7^ in. pipe. 

38 i/2-in. bolt threads. 

15 %-in. bolt threads on eye bolts. 



APPARATUS MADE OF WOOD 

By C. A. Jameson, 
Fannin School, Houston. 

TEETER LADDERS 

The teeter ladder is very substantially made of white oak 
and is 12 ft. long. It is suspended at its middle point by two 
hangers. The hangers are made of iron. A broad strap with 
an eye is bolted securely to the center of the ladder. A rod 
% in. in diameter is fitted with hooks and reaches from the 
ladder to the beam where it articulates with a hook made of 
% in. iron. The ladder if properly hung balances almost per- 
fectly on the two hangers. Pupils grasp the rungs and jump 
up and down. This device is somewhat dangerous, but it gives 
splendid exercise and is very fascinating to the players. 

SWINGS AND SEE-SAWS 

Erect a frame work 24 ft. long and 8 ft. high. Set 3 posts 
4 ft. in the earth, and let them extend 8 ft. above. At the 
top fasten securely a beam 4 in. by 6 in. by 24 ft. For up- 
rights use beams 4 in. by 6 in. by 12 ft. Set in line 12 ft. 
apart. This frame work will carry 8 swings, allowing 3 ft. 
for each. 

Use % in. hangers and set them 18 in. apart. For seats 
use 1 in. by 6 in. by 22 in. oak or yellow pine reinforced. Round 
off the corners and edge of the seat board and bore two holes 
in each end. These holes should be two in. from the end and 
2 in. apart and should be 2 in. in diameter if a chain is used. 
If rope is used, bore two holes only and put them in the exact 
center of the board and 2 in. from the ends. 

If the exact length of overhead beam is 12 ft. inside the up- 
rights, commencing at the upright on either end bore the first 
hole 12 in. from the upright and the others as follows : 18 in., 
15 in,, 18 in., 15 in., 18 in., 15 in., 18 in. (i. e., the second should 
be 18 in. from the first, the third 15 in. from the second, and so 
on). The second section will be a duplicate of the first. 

For hangers, procure %-in. bolts 10 in. long, cut off the heads 
and turn a hook, using about 3 in. to 4 in. for the hook. They 



86 Bulletin of the University of Texas 

will cost leiss than 8 cents each. If rope is used, 'metal eyes 
should be used to take the wear, or the rope will not last long. 

SEE-SAW 

The old fashioned sew- saw is quite a favorite with the chil- 
dren and can be constructed very cheaply. Set three 6 in. by 
4 in. b}^ 7 ft. pieces 4 ft. in the earth. Surmount by a 4 in. by 
6 in. beam and fasten to posts with iron clamps or log screws. 
This frame will carry from four to six boards. For boards pro- 
cure 2 in. by 12 in. by 16 ft. heart pine. Suspend to frame by 
two hangers made by cutting the heads off bolts of suitable 
length — 10 in. for the upper and 8 in. for the lower. Turn the 
hooks on the ends. Use %-in. bolts. It will be well to reinforce 
the boards with a piece 2 in. by 12 in. by 8 ft., as the center 
may be subjected to a very heavy strain. 

MERRY-GO-ROUND 

A splendid ''merry-go-round" or "flying jenny" was made 
by the pupils of the Fannin School in Houston, according to the 
directions given by Principal Jameson as follows : 

Set a good strong post in the ground about 4 to 6 ft. Fit the 
upper end with an iron plate and bore a hole through the plate 
and at least 10 in. in the post. The hole should be at least 1 
in. in diameter. The top of the post should be at least 6 ft. 
from the ground. The overhead beam should be 4 in. by 6 in. 
by 12 to 14 ft. Bore a hole 1^4 in. in diameter through the 
center and fit an iron plate on beam to take up the wear. By 
means of ropes or hangers attach bars or seats to ends of this 
beam. Two or four children ride at a time while others push. 
This plan can be greatly improved if you have the means and 
so desire. It can easily be arranged to carry four to six 
beams and two to four passengers to each beam. To do that, 
fit the top with a revolving device and fit the post with a plate 
and a pair of collars. Let the ends of the beams abut upon 
the post 6 to 8 ft. from tlie ground. With an iron l)and or 
braces, stay the beams in place and support the outer ends 
with rods attached to the revolving device. Attach bars to the 
beams. The players hold the bars and run until they acquire 
considerable momentum when they swing free of the ground 
for a time. This is good exercise and glorious sport. 



APPENDIX 

MODEL ENTRY BLANK FOR COUNTY TRACK MEET 

Official Entry Blank 

For the Annual Track and Field Meet of the _ 

County Interscholastic I^eague, to be held at ^ 

Texas, on , 191 , beginning at 2 :00' 

o'clock p. m. 

Notice to Schools and Contestants 

1. The Meet will be ander the rules of the University Inter- 
scholastic League, copy of which will be mailed, on request, 
by the University of Texas, Austin. 

2. The Meet will be in five divisions: Girls Junior, G-irls 
Senior, Boys Junior, and Class B High School, Class A High 
School. Only girls under 14 and boys under 15 are eligible to 
their respective Junior divisions. Class B. schools are those 
not in cities of 600 scholastic population. 

3. Enter not over three for any one event, excepting the re- 
lay, which requires four. Enter the same contestants in not 
over four running events and not over five all together. 

4. An entry fee of cents is charged for each event 

in which each contestant is entered^ 

5. Send your entries on this blank, with the fees, to 

„ , Texas, not later than Na 

entries will be allowed after that date. The list must be signed 
by the principal or other acting head of the school. 

To the Director of the Meet : 

Please enter the following contestants for the events checked 
opposite their names. I certify that all contestants whose names 
appear hereon are eligible under the rules of the University 
Interscholastic League. 

Dated, , 191 

Signed, _ 

Principal. 
School 



88 



Bulletin of the University of Texas 



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Play and Athletics 89 

AGREEMENT FOR ATHLETIC GAMES BETWEEN TWO SCHOOLS 

(Form of contract used by the University 
Interscholastic League.) 

, Texas, , , 19 

We. the undersigned, to wit : , 

Faculty representative of the School, 

to be designated in this contract as Party of the First Part, 

^^^ , Faculty representative of 

"the School, to be designated in this 

contract as Party of the Second Part, do mutually agree to 

cause the teams of our respective schools to 

meet at , Texas, on , 191 , 

and then and there to engage in a game of , 

under the conditions specified below: 

1. The game to be played under the eligibility rules of the 
University Interscholastic League, and under such other rules 
of said League as are given for the playing of said game. 

2. A list of players to l)e used by each team, with eligibility 
certified to by the respective principals, to be exchanged in ad- 
vance of said game. 

3. Party of the First Part to provide a ground, suitably 
equipped, for the playing of said game. 

4. [Mark out either (a) or (b).] (a) Party of the First 
Part to provide suitable lodging and meals, free of charge, for 

members of the team of Party of the Second Part, 

for such time as it may be necessary for said team to be in 

on account of said game, and also to pay 

to Party of the Second Part a sum sufficient to cover railroad 

and other transportation fare of men from 

to and return! 

{h) Party of the First Part to pay to Party of the Second 

Part the sum of dollars ($ ), on 

condition that Party of the First Part shall not be liable for 
the expenses of the team of Party of the Second Part as speci- 
fied in No. (a) above. 

5. Immediately after the completion of said game, a busi- 
ness settlement as per the terms of this contract, to be made 
at the gate office, or other place designated by Party of the 
First Part. 



90 Bulletin of the University of Texas 

6. Should either team fail to appear at the time and place 
specified above for said game, for other reason than unavoid- 
able delay, or refuse, for any reason, to continue said game 
until its completion after it has been begun, the Party to this 
contract representing said team so offending shall pay to the 
Partv of the other part the sum of. dollars 

($...- ). 

7. Party of the First Part shall make suitable provision for 
controlling the spectators at said game and shall use every 
effort to prevent any interference with the game or with the 
team of Party of the Second Part during said game. 

Signed : 

For Party of the First Part, 

Representing School. 

For Party of the Second Part, 

Representing School. 

SUPPLY HOUSES FOR PLAYGROUND APPARATUS 

A. G. Spalding Co., Chicopee, Mass. 

Howard George Playground Supply House, Philadelphia, Pa. 
Narragansett Machine Co., Providence, R. I. 
Wilcox Silver Plate Co., Meriden, Conn. 
Everwear Mfg. Co., Sycamore St., Springfield, Ohio. 
American Playground Device and Swing Co., Terre Haute, 
Indiana. 

International Gymnasium Supply Co., Springfield, Mass. 
Health Merry- Go-Round Co., Quincy, 111. 

DEALERS AND MAKERS OF ATHLETIC MEDALS AND BADGES 

The Whitehead & Hoag Co., Praetorian Building, Dallas. 

T. Hauseman & Sons, New Orleans, La. 

C. A. Bryant & Co., Dallas. 

Jos. K. Davison's Sons, 715 Sanson St., Philadelphia, Pa. 

William C. Dorrety Mfg. Jeweler, 387 Washington St., Boston, 



DEALERS IN ATHLETIC GOODS: 



Caswell & Smith, Au.stin. 

A. G. Spalding Bros., Dallas. 



BIBLIOGRAPHY 

(1) Athletics 

The following numbers in the Spalding Athletic Library, pub- 
lished by the American Sports Publishing Company, New York, 
will be found very helpful. They may be had for 10 cents each 
except where a different price is given : 
No. 12A. Official Athletic Rules. 
No. 87. An Athletic Primer. 
How to Sprint. 
How to Run 100 yards. 
Distance and Cross-Country Running. 
How to Become a Weight Thrower. 
Athletic Training for School Boys. 
Schoolyard Athletics. 
Girls' Athletics. 
Athletes' Guide. 

Y. M. C. A. Athletic Handbook. 
Official Baseball Guide. 
2R. Strokes and Science of Lawn Tennis (25 cents). 
Official Football Guide. 
No. 324. How to Play Football. 
No. 2A. Official Soccer Football Guide. 
No. 4. Official Lawn Tennis Annual. 
No. 7A. Official Basketball Guide for Women. 
Other good books on athletics are: 

Stecher: Guide to Track and Field Work. McVey Publish- 
ing Co., Philadelphia (1229 Archer Street), 50 cents. 

Clark : Practical Track and Field Athletics. Duffield & Co., 
$1.00. 

Lee: Track Athletics in Detail. Harper Bros., New York, 
$1.25. 

Withington: The Book of Athletics. 
Lothrop: Lee & Shepard, Boston. $2.00. 
Crowther : Rowing and Track Athletics. Macmillan Co., New 
York, $2.00. 

Camp : The Book of Football, The Century Co., New York, 
$2.00. 



No. 


252. 


No. 


255. 


No. 


174. 


No. 


259. 


No. 


246. 


No. 


231. 


No. 


314. 


No. 


156. 


No. 


302. 


No. 


1. 


No. 


21 


No. 


2. 



92 Bulletin of the University of Texas 

Evers: Touching Second. Reilly & Britton, Chicago, $1.25. 

U. S. Government Printing Office: Athletic Handbook for 
the Philippine Public Schools, 25 cents. 

Hamner: Athletics in the Public Schools. The Playground 
and Recreation Association of America, 1 Madison Avenue, New 
York, 10 cents. 

Vaile : Modern Tennis. Funk & Wagnalls, New York, $2.00. 
Invaluable for the tennis player. 

Barbour: Book of School and College Sports. D. Appleton 
& Co., New York, $1.50. 

Dudley & Kellor: Athletic Games for Women. Henry Holt 
& Co., New York, $1.25. 

Handbooks of the Public School Athletic Leagues of New 
York, Baltimore, Newark, Buffalo, and other cities. American 
Sports Publishing Co., New York, 10 cents each. 

Every teacher who can should read the chapter on High School 
Athletics, pp. 429—462, in Johnston's The Modern High School. 
Scribner's, New York. 

(2) Miscellaneous Games 

Bancroft : Games for the School, Home, and Gymnasium. 
Macmillan Co., New York, $1.50. (A most excellent book.) 

Johnson : Education by Plays and Games. Ginn & Co., New 
York, 50 cents. 

Johnson : What to Do at Recess. Ginn & Co., New York, 25 
cents. 

Bulletin on Play and Athletics. Published by State Depart- 
ment of Education of Virginia. Richmond. 

Stecher : Handbooks of Lessons in Physical Training and 
Games, three parts. McVey Publishing Co., 1229 Archer Street, 
Philadelphia, 35, 85, and 50 cents each. 

Kingsland : Book of Indoor and Outdoor Games. Doubleday, 
Page & Co., New York, $1.50. 

Burchenal: Polk Dances and Singing Games. G. Schirmer, 
Publisher, New York, $1.50. 

Angell : Play, comprising games for the kindergarten, school- 
room, and college. Little, Brown & Co., Boston, $1.50. 

Cary : Plays and Games for Schools. Wisconsin Department 
of Public Instruction, Madison, Wis. A bulletin. 



Flay and Athletics ^ 93 

State Department of Education of Virginia: Bulletin on 
Play and Recreation. Richmond, Ya. Especially valuable for 
rural schools. 

(3) Flay and Flay grounds 

The Playground,, a monthly magazine. Published by the Play- 
grounds Association of America, No. 1 Madison Avenue, New 
York. $1.00 a year. 

Mero: American Playgrounds. The Dale Association, Bos- 
ton, $1.50. (Invaluable.) 

Pamphlets published by the Playground Association of Ameica, 
1 Madison Avenue, New York, 5 and 10 cents each. 

The following manufacturers of playground apparatus will be 
glad to submit plans and prices for apparatus. 

A. G. Spalding, Chicopee, Mass. 

Leland & Leland: Playground Technique and Playcraft. F. 
A. Bassette & Co., Springfield, Mass. $2.50. This book and the 
one by Mero mentioned above are invaluable. 

Curtis: The Reorganized School Playground. Bulletin No. 
16 of 1912, U. S. Bureau of Education, Washington, D. C. 

Curtis: Play and Recreation. Ginn & Co., Dallas. $1.00. 

Miller : Plan for Organized Play in City Schools. Article in 
Education for March, 1912. 

Bliss : Organized Play. Article in School Board Journal for 
February, 1911. 

Kirkpatrick: Play as a Factor in Social and Educational 
Reform. Article in Review of Revieius for August, 1899. 

The Playground. A monthly magazine. The Playground and 
Recreation Association of America, 1 Madison Avenue, New 
York, $2.00. 

Play in Relation to Character. Article in Education^ for 
March, 1899. 

Scudder: Recreation for Rural Communities. World Book 
Company. 

(4) Folk Dances and Games 

Crawford: Folk Dances and Games. A. S. Barnes & Co., 
New York. $1.50. 

Lincoln : The Festival Book. A. S. Barnes & Co., New York. 
$1.50. 



94 Bulletin of the University of Texas 

Hof er : Folk Dances and Games. The Dale Association, Bos- 
ton. 75 cents. 

Hof er : Children 's Singing Games, Old and New. A. Flana- 
gan & Co., Chicago. 50 cents. 

Dnryea : Dance Songs of the Nations. The Dale Association, 
Boston. $2.00. 

Crampton : The Folk Dance Book. A. S. Barnes & Co., New 
York, $1.50. 

(5) Physical Education, Gymnastics, Etc. 

Sargent: Physical Education. Ginn & Co., $1.50'. 

American Physical Education Review, a monthly magazine. 
Published by the Physical Education Association of America, 
Springfield, Mass., $3.00 a year. 

Gulick : Physical Education by Muscular Exercise. P. Blak- 
iston & Sons, 1012 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, 75 cents. 

No. 290. Spalding Athletic Library, Get Well, Keep Well, 10 
cents. 

No. 149. Spalding Athletic Library, Care of the Body, 10 
cents. 

No. 7R. Spalding Athletic Library, Physical Training Sim- 
plified. 

No. 208. Spalding Athletic Library, Physical Education and 
Hygiene. 

Tyler: Growth and Education. The Dale Association, Bos- 
ton, $1.50. 

U. S. Government Printing Office : Gymnastic Drill Book for 
the U. S. Army. 25 cents. 

Article on Physical Education in the Cyclopedia of Educa- 
tion, Munro. Macmillan Co., Dallas. 



\ 



tion to deliver public lectures in Texas towns, when asked to do so 
About a hundred lectures in fifteen different lines of work are now 

PubUc Welfare Division. 

It is the purpose of this division to collect data regaraing economic 
conditions in the State and to furnish the same to citizens of Texas 
through exhibits of photographs, charts, diagrams, statistics, etc., 
supplemented by irustrated lectures and printed bulletins. 

Division of Public School Improvement. 

The Division of Public School Improvement has charge of the 
various educational exhibits sent out by the University to fairs and 
other large gatherings, for the purpose of calling the attention of 
the people to some of the crying needs of Texas and point out the 
most intelligent method of meeting these needs. 

Correspondence Division 

The University of Texas now offers for home study correspondence 
courses in the following subjects of college grade: Botany, Civil 
Engineering, Drawing, Economics, Education, Electrical Engineer- 
ing, English, French, Geology, German, Government, Greek, History, 
Latin, Mathematics, Mining, Engineering, Philosophy, Public Speak- 
ing, Spanish, and Zoology. 

The following correspondence courses preparatory to Teachers 
Certificates are also offered: Algebra, Bookkeeping, Chemistry, 
Geometry (Plane and Solid), History of Education, History (gen- 
eral), Literature, Physics, Psychology, and Trigonometry. 

Programs and courses of study for clubs or other associations are 
also offered. Correspondence is invited. 

For complete catalog of the Department of Extension, address 
Director of the Department of Extension, University, Austin. In- 
quiries relating to a particular division should be addressed to the 
head of that division. 



C. Baldwin & Sons 
State Printers 
Austin 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



029 819 189 



